


Valkyrie Strike

by Calipsan, chaosLydia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-29 19:27:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 58,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14479569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calipsan/pseuds/Calipsan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosLydia/pseuds/chaosLydia
Summary: Thrawn has been working his way through the ranks in the Imperial Navy for over five years, but finally, the actions of the Empire have gone too far. He must now resort to alternative means to achieve his goals in service of the Chiss.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Forces of Gravity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13975593) by [Calipsan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calipsan/pseuds/Calipsan), [chaosLydia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosLydia/pseuds/chaosLydia). 



> The majority of my information for this story comes from Zahn's newest Thrawn book, and picks up toward the end of said work. I am fairly new to the Star Wars fandom, so please give me ideas for characters and places to include as I go!  
> Also, my thanks to chaosLydia for inspiring me to write this story!

The Emperor was pleased with the outcome. Thrawn sat in his quarters, pondering. Fingers steepled and mind churning, he hoped that Yularen could think of a reason for him to stay instead of making the journey back to Coruscant so soon, but no. He had to return. He couldn’t give the Emperor any reason for doubt. The battle on Batonn, which he had so carefully calculated, had quite literally blown up. The Emperor was pleased. As the governor said, it was likely he would be promoted yet again for squashing yet another attempt at rebellion from the insurgents. But this had been no victory to him. According to the earliest reports there were no survivors, and likely there would be none as the search continued.

If the battle had gone as planned and the insurgents had laid down their weapons peacefully, would he still be receiving accolades? Did the Empire value shows of cruelty over restraint? He thought back to the incident when he’d first met Nightswan: the tibanna gas debacle. He had been proud to save the lives of the Dromedar crew, but Captain Rossi showed scorn at his inability to retrieve the gas. Since then, he’d reluctantly recalibrated his priorities to value imperial resources more equitably with life, but was that not enough?

It seemed the Empire had forgotten the value of mercy in warfare. Mercy is not always a selfless act, for it leads to surrender, and when one side surrenders it means a less costly battle on both sides. If an enemy knows that they will be shown no mercy, they will fight to the end of their lives, but if they know they will be spared, they will surrender before the situation is dire. 

There were footsteps outside of his door. “Come,” Thrawn said, knowing by the sound who it was, and not moving from his pensive position. 

“Sir,” Commander Vanto said from the door, “We’re just about ready to leave. You said three hours, and Commander Faro is at the bridge. Do you wish to accompany her?” He swallowed, jaw clenched. Had the carnage below been difficult for Thrawn, he could only imagine the toll it took on Vanto.

“Of course.” Thrawn stood and came around his desk. “I should also like to have a word with you once we land on Coruscant.”

Vanto’s eyes contracted, seemingly in pain, but he nodded, “Alright, about what happened down there?”

“Yes,” Thrawn said. He could tell Vanto expected another word, but when met with silence, the Commander departed.

Haste was needed; there were things he must do before meeting Faro on the bridge. 

 

The journey to Coruscant passed uneventfully and soon the glittering planet appeared in view. The Chimaera and its crew arrived at the orbital Coruscant base to all the usual paperwork. This was one of Eli’s busiest times on board, for it was now that he put his primary skills to use, checking on all their supplies and troops, reconciling any damages, preparing reports and ensuring that all was in order. It usually took almost two hours, but since he was only managing the Chimaera and not the entirety of the 96th, it cut the time considerably. 

When all was complete and Eli was cleared to leave, most other crew had already left for the ground base. He knew that Thrawn would also be on the last shuttle, so, standing in the shuttle bay, small bag packed, he waited. A bright flash caught his eye and for a moment he saw the explosion on Batonn again, the blossoming plumes of flame rebounding on themselves--no, he was in the shuttle bay, and it was only the arch from a welder. Now the image was in his head again and he couldn’t dispel it. He shut his eyes, but that only made it worse. The picture played again, soundlessly, in the dark of his mind. The quiet made it worse. Unreal. Easy. It was tempting to stay disconnected from the horrors on Batonn. He hadn’t seen anything but fire, hadn’t heard the screams or deafening roar. It had just been an image on the viewscreen.

Eli didn’t have rows of numbers to distract him, so he watched as the techs prepped the shuttle for the trip down to Coruscant. He really concentrated on every move they made. One checked the ion engine, tapping his toe as he waited for the read out. Everything must have been normal because he nonchalantly moved away to a kiosk to enter some data. The second tech squatted down to check the maneuvering jets, her ponytail barely grazing the floor as she looked under the ship.  
A hand on his shoulder jolted Eli. Thrawn, of course, stood beside him.

“Your expression is tense,” Thrawn said, evenly. 

Eli shrugged his hand away. “I could tell…you…”

Thrawn cocked his head slightly to the side.

The light by the shuttle turned green, indicating they’d been given the all-clear, and Eli hurried toward it instead of finishing his sentence. Their pilot nodded as they approached and Eli realized it was Ensign Pancel. Her dark skin and blonde hair certainly helped her stand out, but it was her opinions that made her memorable.  
He’d seen her several times on board, but it was when he spoke with her two nights ago about a shipment of parts, that he became intrigued.

_____________

“How are you tonight,” he’d said.

“Pretty pissed.” She snarled. “Lieutenant Greaves implied I’d have trouble making this delivery. People don’t have respect for non-Core-Worlders,” she had said, leaning toward him conspiratorially. That was unexpected. She didn’t seem to recoil from him like so many others onboard did--neither his rank nor his association with Thrawn dissuaded her. 

“Yeah, that’s true enough,” he said, the surprise at her candor showing in his voice.

“I’ve heard people whispering about you two. You and the Admiral. Normally no one would speak ill of high ranking commanders--”

“Yes, they shouldn’t,” he raised his eyebrows in reference to her own complaint about the lieutenant, “but it seems like me and Thrawn are always the exceptions.”

She rolled her eyes, checking over one last aspect of the shipping log before handing it to him. “You think you’re the only one? I’m from the Outer Rim, and I doubt I’ll ever get to be a star-fighter.”

“Well, you never know,” Eli had said. 

________________

Now, she stood at attention beside the shuttle with a professional smile. “Commander, Admiral, we’re waiting for two others departing for Coruscant and we’ll be on our way.” With that, she gave a salute and went about to make some final checks.

Thrawn nodded to her calmly and then turned to Eli. “You were saying? ‘I…’?”

“Oh, I knew you had a plan for...Batonn. I just. You were acting strange.”

“Yes, I have much to report later. I knew that having unknowns on the ground would be unwise.” He spoke quietly, such that Eli drew close, and in that soft tone he heard a rare tension.

“I wish there was some proof we could get on Pryce.” Eli’s lips twisted with distaste. 

“Perhaps there is something we can find,” Thrawn whispered.

The two other passengers who had waited for the last transport off the Chimaera arrived in the shuttle bay, and Eli recognized them as a couple from engineering that he didn’t know well. Thrawn greeted them kindly, Eli nodded as they passed by, and they all loaded up to be on their way. The trip, though short, couldn’t pass fast enough for him. He hoped that Thrawn had more to tell him about what happened, and offer some explanations about Nightswan’s involvement. He needed to think about that. The puzzles, the patterns. That was better than thinking about the reality of it, and his role in that reality.

It was full dark when they disembarked the shuttle and headed out into residential part of the ground base. Surrounded by electric fences and security gates, it was the largest and most populous base in the galaxy, housing all the high ranking officials in the navy and their crews. A self-contained city within the city, it contained neighborhoods, stores, restaurants, and offices. Like the rest of Coruscant, it was made up of towers, weaving streets and skyways. Eli was still in awe of the fact he was here, even after four years. He gazed at the city beyond the base. Coruscant glowed brighter at night, lit by a million stars that were windows, billboards, and traffic lights.

Looking in the direction of his block, Eli felt the tug of home. Since his days in the barracks as an ensign, his house had become a much more comfortable place to go. “This is about where we need to split ways. I live over there, you know? Do we report to the palace tomorrow?”  
“We do. At 0700, but you’re coming with me to my quarters tonight.”

Eli widened his eyes. He’d never been to where Thrawn stayed at the base, but he knew, as an Admiral, it must be nicer than his modest, though well-appointed, Commander’s home. 

They turned down a street Eli was less-familiar with: the quarter where all the Admirals and Grand Admirals lived with their families. Eli realized at that moment how few families he saw on the base. This was the largest base in the galaxy, yet almost everyone here was a soldier. Few husbands and wives and even fewer children. He felt an uncomfortable twinge in his stomach at the thought. 

Thrawn’s house, from the outside, was simple: a metallic dome with tall windows sweeping up the sides. It looked like all the houses on the street, but when they went inside, and he turned up the lights, Eli gasped. The lights were still dim, much like Thrawn always kept his office, and also like his office, there were paintings, sculptures and tapestries all around. There were also collections on display of mechanical items like old droids and blasters. The windows were covered with rich curtains and the functional lighting Eli knew was included in the homes had been replaced with elaborately carved fixtures that glowed softly. Of course everything was neat as a pin. 

“Wow. You really like collecting don’t you?” He said, walking up to an especially impressive pre-Clone War blaster rifle.

“I do,” his companion said simply, walking into the kitchen area. 

Eli turned to watch Thrawn pour a glass of what he assumed was wine before raising the bottle to ask if he wanted any. “Yeah, sure.” Not usually much of a drinker, Eli felt the need after today. 

“Well,” Eli said, walking over to take the glass. “You’ve been sealed tighter than a Corellian clam the whole way here, and--”

“I spoke with Nightswan on Batonn. That’s why I went down. I had hoped to end the battle on more peaceful terms. Nightswan had not given me absolute certainty of his agreement with all my plan, but I told him I would spare as many lives as possible.” Thrawn slowly rotated his glass on the counter, running a fingertip along the rim in...agitation?

Eli sighed deeply. He hoped Thrawn had had something to tell him that would make him feel better. The lost possibility of a nearly bloodless ground-battle made his stomach turn over again. “But you said you thought he’d agree? Why wouldn’t he?”

Thrawn’s eyebrows knotted, and Eli was aware again how much more emotion he showed in front of him than when they were in public. “He had already turned down what I thought was an equally tantalizing offer. He also said, accurately I believe, that though I would accept a surrender, other Admirals would not, and he did not intend to give up the fight. There would be another uprising on Batonn, and if I were not the one to face him the Empire would show no mercy.”

Eli nodded dumbly. “That’s true, I guess. And, well, it would have to be that way. We’ve got to fight the insurgents. We can’t let them destabilize the planets.”

The admiral cut his bright, red eyes to Eli. In the faint light, they glowed. “Yes,” was all he said.

“Riiiight…” Eli was quiet a moment, sipping the wine. “This is good.” When Thrawn still remained silent, deep in thought, he said, “Well, what else?”

“I found out more from Nightswan about the Imperial project that we too have been researching. I offered for him to come with me to research it further. He declined, choosing, instead to stay and fight with the insurgents. 

As I was alone before our journey to Coruscant, I compiled more of the data you had found, and did some cross-checks with the information Nightswan shared. I think we have a name: Death Star.”

“Ominous as hell.”

“Indeed. And a location.”

“A location?”

“Yes, remember that ‘planetary ore extractor’?” Thrawn raised an ironic eyebrow.  
“The one being built in the Geonosis system?”

Thrawn nodded.

“It’s not an ore extractor.” Eli leaned on the counter. “What does this mean?”

“I am not certain.” He paused, considering. “But Eli, I have not been entirely honest with you. Come, sit. I must tell you something important. I regret that you were not the first I told of this.” 

Thrawn moved from the kitchen into the sitting area, pausing to enter a code into the security panel on the wall. Suddenly, he turned back to look at Eli. “My apologies. I am not keeping you from anything pressing? There is no one waiting for you at your home?”

Eli rolled his eyes and chuckled. “If only, sir. No.” 

With an understanding smile, Thrawn continued ahead and sat on a simple but elegant chair. Eli followed suit. “My primary concern regarding the Death Star is my people on Csilla.” Thrawn said, still slowly rotating his glass. “If this weapon is as powerful as our research implies, it is a threat to the entire galaxy. I was sent here by my people to research the Empire and see if they were a worthy ally.”

Eli leaned forward, setting down his glass. “Wait a second. What do you mean, sent here? Weren’t you…?” Then his mind swam with just how much Thrawn had lied. He pursed his lips and thought back to that long ago day when he and his whole squad had been attacked on that Wild Space planet by a seeming army only to then be boarded by a single man. “You wanted us to come there. It was all a plan.”

“Not my plan alone. The plan of the Aristocra, the Chiss ruling families. I was chosen as the best candidate due to my experience, albeit rudimentary, outside the Chiss borders.”

Eli stood and paced. “You’re telling me that this is all some elaborate spy game?” His voice rose unchecked, and he realized that he didn’t care that he was practically shouting. “That none of it was chance?” 

Thrawn sat back, still calm, of course. The bastard, Eli thought. 

“Quite a lot of it was chance.” Thrawn said. “I had not predicted my admission to the navy, nor did I know I would be promoted so quickly. I did not anticipate how...valuable my services would be to the Empire.”

“Perfect, even you were surprised by how great you are.”

“Eli, listen.” Thrawn rarely called him by his first name alone, so that was enough for him to cease his rant and stand still. 

“None of that is precisely what I mean to tell you now. My past was important for you to understand, but what I am concerned with now is the future.”  
Thrawn looked hesitant for the umpteenth time today, and it made Eli increasingly nervous. He sat down again, leaned in, and waited.

“I feel that my path needs to change. I wish for you to follow me, but I cannot require it of you.”

Eli felt his heart thump against his chest. Thrawn had never once questioned whether or not he wanted to go along with any of his unorthodox plans, Thrawn had always done them and then seen if Eli could figure out why he had. “Thrawn, I--”

“I will tell you what I have planned first, and then you may decide. If you decide not to join me, you must promise to never speak of this night to anyone.”  
Eli nodded, throat tight.

“I have determined that the Empire as it stands is not a suitable ally for the Chiss.”

“As it stands?”

“Yes. I had been content to wait, and perhaps I will for a while, but I am not certain. I think action is in order. Action before the Empire destroys itself and becomes useless to my people.”

“Destroys itself?” Eli shook his head. “What kind of action?”

“Revolutionary action.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and commenting!

Eli had worked for his parent’s company since he was about 12. Before then, of course, he’d spent all his time climbing around on the freighters, talking with the flight crews and learning all he could. He didn’t know this at the time, but he came to know that his home planet, Lysatra, was one of the only planets in Wild Space that actively promoted trade with the Unknown Regions. And his parents’ company was the premier hub for shipping operations. As a result, from a young age he’d been exposed to a diversity of peoples most would never conceive of. Though Lysatra was mostly populated by humans who had emigrated there, Eli and his parents were usually the minority amongst crews of strange races traveling from afar.

Vagari traders with their ships covered in living creatures, the amphibious Rakata and the rarely seen Firrerreo all passed through the hangars of Vanto Shipping, not to mention the usual Twi’leks, Mon Calimari and other races from the Core and Colony worlds. However, only the bravest traveled out so far. The Unknown Regions were rife with danger from nebulas and black holes. The folks that passed through knew the safest routes and kept them secret. 

The one race that he had heard of, but which never traveled through the bustling hub, were the Chiss. Aloof and powerful, they guarded their own system in the Unknown Regions with a military might which put the Empire to shame, at least, that’s what his grandmother had said. She and others in her generation said their grandparents had told tales of the blue humanoids that used to trade with others in the galaxy. One day it all ceased, and they had never been heard from again. But the stories of their bravery in battle and their cold, calculating ways lived on.

On nights when solar storms were bad and many travelers stayed on Lysatra instead of continuing on their way, Eli would enjoy sitting with them, sharing drinks and tales of what lay “out there.” Not only the Unknown Regions, but the glittering and populous Core Worlds. He’d always been happy with life on Lysatra, but when he heard about multi-level cities with highways through the skies, and buildings thousands of feet tall, he couldn’t help but be seduced.

And he was fairly certain that’s why his parents had a serious talk with him one afternoon shortly after his 19th birthday. 

“Eli, dear,” Mom had said as he rushed past her, datapad in hand. There had been several incongruities with the last few Rakata ships that had come through; either there had been calculation errors (most likely) or someone was skimming a bit off the top for themselves. His mother’s words didn’t reach past his thoughts until he had almost left the office. 

“Oh, yes, Mom. Sorry.” He lowered the datapad and walked back to her.

She smiled and rubbed his arm. “You’ve helped us so much, you know? Without you, I don’t think we’d still have so much power in this sector.”

Eli chuckled, “Mom, you and Dad taught me everything I know! It’s you two should be proud of what you’ve done in the sector.”

“Your father and I have been talking. We just hired Kalu, you know?”

“Yeah, she’s really good with seeing data trends. She’s the one that noticed the tibanna gas leak. Figured it out just from the slightest discrepancy between actual depletion and projected depletion.” They’d had a long talk after that, and Eli was certainly glad to have her on the team.

“Dear, your father and I thought that you should….” She looked happy, but there was certainly sadness in her eyes. 

Suddenly, Dad came into the office too. A look of “sorry I’m late” on his face. 

Eli looked between his parents and sat down. “Alright. I guess you’ve really got something to tell me. Everything okay?”

“Of course,” Dad said. “But look, here’s how it is: You can’t spend the rest of your life here in the back of beyond. You’re better than that.” He’d rehearsed it, said it like those words had been on his mind all day.

Eli leaned forward to protest. He was shocked they would imply he didn’t want to be here with them. But Mom cut him off.

“You can help other people, explore the galaxy,” she said.

Eli couldn’t deny that he’d like to learn more, see more things. Chewing on the inside of his lip. He looked between his parents. His mother gently smiled, his father, lines in his face deeper than Eli remembered, settled on the edge of the desk. “I know you two are looking out for me. But, don’t you need me here?”

“That’s what we’ve got Kalu here for. She’s doing better than you anyway.” Dad smiled crookedly and Eli chuckled, hoping it was a joke.

“We don’t want to pressure you too much,” Mom said, “but we also don’t want you to feel stuck. You know we can manage on our own, and you’ve been always so eager to hear what Rik has to say about Myomar Academy. Seems like you might want to go, too.”

Eli’s friend Rik was a pilot, and he’d always dreamed of being a star fighter. After sending in his application and talking about it for months, he had finally been accepted. He left Vanto Shipping to go there, and from the messages he’d sent, it had been going well. 

“It’s not as stuffy as I thought it would be,” he’d said. “There aren’t a lot of non-humans, so that’s weird, but it’s mostly Wild Spacers, and you know, I’ve actually learned a lot and met some great people.”

Was it that Eli wanted to go? He told himself he just wanted to keep up with his friend, make sure he was doing alright. But perhaps there had been a touch of envy. Obviously he felt responsible for Vanto Shipping. His parents weren’t spring chickens and someone needed to look after things. That was his responsibility.

“Don’t kid yourself, Eli,” Dad said. “You’ve got a real talent, and we’ve taught you everything we can.”

“You’ve never been too fond of the Empire. Either of you,” Eli said. 

“Maybe not,” Mom said. “But Myomar is the nearest Space Academy and they happen to run it. If you go there, and don’t like it, you can always come home.”

And Eli had kept that thought with him through his first few years of training--at least until a giant blue wrench was thrown in the works.  
_______________________________

In Thrawn’s elaborate living room, Eli sat in stunned silence, feeling his jaw slowly drop. After a few seconds, thoughts trickled back into his head. Thrawn had just proposed leading a revolution against the Empire. Revolution? Surely he’d misheard. He drew in a breath and released it. There was no way Thrawn had meant that. There must be another explanation. But looking into the red eyes of his commander and friend, Eli could see he had not misinterpreted: those eyes were imploring and wary.

Eli wanted to stand up and shout, “forget it!” If he had, though, he may never have heard another word about any of this, and he really liked to know if Thrawn’s plans worked. Damn it. He gripped the arm rests of the chair and continued to breathe. Finally, words came to him as he struggled desperately to stay calm. “Are. You. Crazy?” His voice crescendoed, unbidden, on the final word.

Thrawn pursed his lips, took his gaze momentarily to the floor, and then met Eli’s eyes once more. “You know I am not crazy. This is a logical solution.”

“Ha! Logical? Did Nightswan hit you in the head?”

“Eli. The Empire is corrupt. We have long known this. Its corruption has affected us both personally. But beyond its injuries to us, I read about Batonn and the uprising there. We were intentionally given false information. Additionally, do you recall the battle involving the Wookiee slaves? Another case of deception.”

Of course Eli recalled. It had troubled him for months that the Empire had a secret slave prison. But that had been over a year ago. 

Thrawn didn’t wait for a reply. “I too was bothered--”

Eli cut in, “Then why not do anything at the time?”

“It was not the time to act. All actions must be calculated.”

“And now is the time to act?” Eli asked.

“I believe so. Though the circumstances remain much the same. We were ordered to stay silent; therefore, within legal protocol there is nothing we can do no matter how many secret bases there are or how many slaves the Empire controls.”

Eli shifted in his seat, processing, breathing. “But, still, though. Thrawn, we… WE can’t do anything about it. Like you said. We have orders.” After the sentence left his lips, Eli felt a pang of guilt. Was he really that interested in being a blind follower?

Thrawn also leaned back, considering. Whenever he was pondering something deeply, his eyes moved back and forth a little like he was reading his own thoughts on a page. “I understand, as I said, if you do not wish to join me; however, I will be proceeding with this plan, and you will not share it with anyone or attempt to stop me.”

“Just you wait a minute. I haven’t said for sure what I want to do yet. Can you tell me a little bit of your plan?”

“The plan is still developing. It was only since leaving for Coruscant that this idea has been percolating. But the plan will be slow moving. Such an undertaking will need to be careful and precise. Additionally, due to Imperial security, we will need to be discreet.”

It was then Eli remembered how Thrawn had earlier typed something into the security panel as they reached the living room. He had somehow disabled some sort of monitoring system. Eli’s uneasiness intensified. “So, all our quarters are under surveillance?”

“Perhaps not all. Perhaps only those the Empire believes they must watch.” Thrawn raised an eyebrow. “The footage is not viewed until necessary for an investigation. All surveillance tracks are recorded and stored for one year and then overwritten. We have a similar system on board the Chimaera that I have been studying. It is not the most secure or useful monitoring system.” 

Eli really wondered what all Thrawn would do if he were in charge. He couldn’t think of a single time the Chiss had accepted any policy without some comment. “So there’s no guard somewhere watching all the feed? I mean that makes sense, but even so, that’s a huge amount of audio visual data to store. How do they do it?”

“That is something I would like for you to investigate. In order for this operation to run smoothly, we will need the ability to rewrite or reroute any camera. It would also be helpful to access the audio visual data storage. I think your skill set will enable you to do so without too much additional training.” He still sat, hands steepled, but Eli could tell there was a nervous energy coursing through him, like someone had flicked a tuning rod and it vibrated almost imperceptibly. 

“So what’s the end goal here?” Eli was almost afraid to hear the answer. Treason like this was punishable by life-long imprisonment or death. He knew because he’d played a part in arresting several people who were doing just about the same thing. That made his stomach turn.

“The main goal is a more efficient, functional, and streamlined Empire. There are several possible directions my plans could take: one is that we would be able to turn enough people to our side that we could create a tonal shift in the Navy and government. Peaceful restructuring such as this are less likely, but this is still the preferable course. Another possible, and less desirable, outcome is an internal resistance force leading a coup against those who remain in power, but--”

“Okay, stop there. I think I’ve heard enough possibilities. Thrawn, does it ever occur to you that you might fail?” The depth of that possible failure was certainly occurring to Eli right now. What would his parents think? Not that they were huge supporters of the Empire, but part of the reason they’d settled on Lysatra was to be left alone, not to have their son get caught up in political reform. 

“I often consider the possibility of failure, but I will not accept it. The first stage of this operation is one of information gathering. We need to stabilize the Empire and its people. The first way to do that is by reconciling feelings of discontent in those who would cause disturbances. Once we know what citizens want, we can begin to move the Empire in that direction and thus quell further uprisings before they start.” Thrawn stood and began to leisurely pace the room. 

“Easier said than done.”

“All things are.” He paused, then resumed his walk. “Concurrently we will utilize the security cameras as well as your expert data and supply tracking to find actual illegal activity within the Empire that we can uncover. The best way to dismantle the problematic aspects of the government is through accountability. When something so egregious is done that it cannot be ignored, we will force action.”

As Thrawn spoke, Eli remembered he used the same tactic when they’d been in the Academy. Instead of reporting every act of violence against them, they waited for something unforgivable. Eli understood that what Thrawn talked about was more reform than revolution, but still a more radical step than most in the Empire would like. Eli knew many people, including the Emperor, would not think this was a positive move. With a deep breath, Eli stood. “Can I think about this for at least the night?”

“Of course. Take the time you need. Remember that either way you are sworn to secrecy regarding this.” The severity of Thrawn’s glowing eyes was enough to imply what ill would befall him if he told ANYONE.

“Well, I’m going to go home now. That okay?”

“Yes, of course. I have taken up much of your evening already. I hope you do rest well tonight.” Thrawn gave him a polite smile as though he didn’t know that Eli might NEVER sleep soundly again.

“Sure,” Eli muttered.

Eli left Thrawn’s house and went out into the night, hoping the Empire didn’t have a way to read thoughts. He felt like his mind was whirring loudly enough for anyone to hear. He walked along the tidy sidewalk and made a turn into the more familiar side of the base. Once he left the quarter for the upper echelon, there were people sitting outside their houses talking or eating dinner. There were lights on in windows and music playing. The towering barracks rose up in front of him like a castle and he remembered his days there crammed into a small apartment surrounded by other ensigns. He certainly was grateful for a little more privacy now.

As he rounded a corner onto his street, he heard some voices filtering out of an open window.

“I, for one, am glad. There’s no point wasting resources on non-humans.” It was a confident woman’s voice. 

Her companion was a gruff man whose voice Eli thought he recognized. “Of course! It’s a wonder we’d been paying benefits to any of those people. Hopefully this Duro case can set a precedent.”

Eli didn’t dare linger and listen, so that was all he heard as he walked by. Racism was incredibly familiar to him, and he had heard these things many times before. Even back home on Lysatra where non-human bias was frowned upon, it still was present. It was always worse for those who looked even less human than Thrawn; The Gungans, Wookiees, Rodians and others had an especially hard time of it. But...this was the first time he’d thought there was something HE could do about it.

He came to his house, basically the same shape as Thrawn’s but much smaller. Inside, he sighed deeply. He didn’t bother to turn on any lights. Tugging off his coat and hanging it by the door, he pulled off his shoes and collapsed on his standard issue couch. “What a day,” he muttered to himself.

Then a distant explosion rattled the windows of his house and the red alert began to chime.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you to everyone for kudos and comments! Now the plot thickens!

The throbbing red alert chime rattling his thoughts, Eli rushed to the window to see if he could tell where the explosion had come from. Away from all the barracks, near the front gate, was a plume of flame. Swearing loudly, Eli grabbed his coat, tugged on untied shoes and rushed out the door. All around him, others were in a similar state of disarray as they rushed in the direction of the explosion. Fear was edging in to his mind; There hadn’t been a call to arms or any communication through the comms about an attack, but what else it could be?

Eli’s wrist buzzed with an incoming comm call. “Commander Vanto,” Thrawn’s electronic voice had an edge of concern, “Are you alright?” 

“Yes, I am. I was home. On my way to that explosion though.” Eli hurried around the corner.

“It sounded like it came from the east side entrance.” As usual, Thrawn’s tone was calm and measured. Actually, Eli reflected as he walked swiftly, he sounded calmer than he had earlier in the night.

“I thought so too. I’ll be there soon.” 

“Be careful,” Thrawn said and cut the connection. 

Eli growled in frustration at his communicator and stopped briefly to tie his boots. Finally, he arrived to see that the explosion appeared to have come from the storage bay. There were no attackers, just a mob of soldiers, a crew of workers attempting to clean up, and droids putting out the small fires that still fizzled all around. Eli saw Commander Faro and hurried up beside her. 

“What under the stars happened?” Eli said, catching his breath.

Faro sneered. “Some moof-milker ran his speeder into the primary fuel tank. There were no other casualties.” She paused, looking at the damage.

Eli noted with chagrin that while his shirt wasn’t even tucked in, Faro looked completely put together, though still a little on edge. How at 2400 hours could she look so awake. 

Faro continued, walking toward a group of soldiers. “But now everyone’s all shaken up, Commandant Gregor has to file an incident report, and they’ll be cleaning this mess up all night.” The Commandant looked as glum as usual as he stood outside his office with a group of generals and ISB officers. He was the chief commander of the base, and Eli hadn’t had too many interactions with him aside from requests to dock and shuttle. That was enough for him.

“Looks like everything’s under control,” Eli said wearily. It had only been an accident, albeit a horrible one, but it certainly did point out that this base was a soft target. It was only now that the loudspeakers were broadcasting the “all clear” signal. 

Seeming to pick up the tone in his voice, Faro met his eyes. “Is everything alright? You look pretty rattled. You didn’t know the man who crashed, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Eli had been viewing everything through the veil of suspicion Thrawn had drawn across his eyes. He honestly had no way to tell her all the things that were buzzing through his mind. Who here could he really trust?

“I’m tired,” was what Eli settled on saying. “I’ll see you tomorrow, huh?”

She didn’t really buy it, but let it go. “Sure. Get some rest.”

The First Responders were even beginning to disperse, and more droid clean-up crews of filtered into the area as Eli made his way back to his house. A thought pricked his mind: where was Thrawn? He’d asked about the explosion, so Eli had assumed he’d be there too. That meant he had to be very intentionally somewhere else. The painful thought that Thrawn had caused this disturbance crossed his mind, but he shoved it away. Thrawn wouldn’t do that. But then, Eli knew he could. The first time he met Thrawn he’d been expending lives to serve his own goals. It was only a matter of how important that goal was, and Eli was certain Thrawn saw the “reformation” of the Empire as exceedingly important.

Experiencing some deja vu as he kicked off his boots once more, he walked down the hall this time and into his bedroom. Unbuttoning his jacket and shirt, he looked in the mirror, thinking. In many ways he was still the Wild Space kid; he didn’t feel like a Commander in the Imperial Navy. His brown eyes were still doe-like and he was always astounded that ensigns hopped-to when he spoke to them. He knew he owed much of it to Thrawn, but he’d been gaining authority of his own. And tomorrow, he would see the Emperor.  
___________________

At 0700, Thrawn met Vanto and Faro to make their way to the Imperial Palace. They would be there early, but one never kept the Emperor waiting. Faro was in good spirits, but Vanto’s demeanor seemed heavy. 

“Did you not rest well, Commander?” Thrawn asked. 

Vanto’s eyes cut harshly to Thrawn’s. “I don’t know how you’re so wide awake. You say Chiss need less sleep than humans, but I’m beginning to think you don’t sleep at all.”

Faro chuckled softly, and looked at Thrawn. He shrugged.

The Imperial throne room was as imposing as ever when the doors swung open. As the companions began to enter, the red-robed guards put out a hand out to stop Eli and Faro.

“I thought we had all been summoned?” Thrawn asked, evenly.

When the guards provided no answer, Thrawn turned to Faro and Vanto. 

“We’ll wait outside.” Vanto said, relief in his voice. All nodding to each other, Vanto and Faro went down the hall to wait and Thrawn stepped into the echoing room. 

“Greetings, Your Highness.” Thrawn said, stopping a respectful distance from the throne. The Emperor was stoic as always, though his eyes seemed brighter. 

“Admiral,” The Emperor began, descending the throne platform. “You never cease to please me.” His eyes still sparkled with delight and...malice? He produced from his robe the Grand Admiral’s rank plaque. 

The Emperor continued. “The victory on Batonn was more complete than I had hoped. It seems your talents are well-suited to the destruction of the insurgents. With this new rank, I wish for you to lead the 7th fleet in an assault against these… rebels. Fleet Admiral Sartan was not...performing as I desired.” Threat creeped into his eyes, mouth a firm line. “I know you will not disappoint me.”

Those wild eyes bore into Thrawn’s red ones. There was a hint of something Thrawn hadn’t seen before. A crackling energy. The muscles of the Emperor’s face were relaxed, his eyes cold, his stance neutral. Each time they visited, the man got harder to read, which only proved he had something to hide. 

“I will endeavour to serve you and the Empire to the best of my ability,” Thrawn said, bowing his head slightly. 

“Shrewd answer, as always.” The Emperor turned, gazing out a tall window. “You have indeed served me well. Told me many important hyperspace routes through the Unknown Regions, all the while leaving out all mention of your peoples’ system. I understand, of course, your desire to keep them safe, but I will not always be willing to accept such omissions from your reports.” His muscles were tense, hands clasped behind his back. Staying turned away was likely an intentional tactic. He knew that Thrawn could read his face.

Thrawn debated mentioning the Death Star, but now would not be the time. He would hold on to that card for now. This promotion would be precisely want he needed to better execute his plan.

“There is no omission,” Thrawn said, tone measured, “I am sharing with you the most valuable and useful routes first. My people seldom trade outside their race.”

The Emperor released a chilling sound which Thrawn assumed was a laugh. He turned and strode back to Thrawn. “I hope to change their minds. But tell me, do you accept your promotion? Do you accept your mission to eliminate these rebel miscreants before the situation becomes more bothersome.” Muscles taught, eyes still burning, perhaps a twinge of fear in his lined face.

“I do accept.”

The Emperor relaxed somewhat and opened his palm, revealing once more the 12 barred plaque. Thrawn took a deep breath. The highest commanding rank in the Navy was his.

The Emperor closed his hand once more, keeping the plaque hidden. “Now that you have accepted your new mission, there is an introduction I must make.”

On cue, a man dressed in dark armor emerged from a doorway to the left. Thrawn braced himself. He had heard of this the Emperors most prized compatriot: Lord Vader.

“You summoned me, Emperor?” Vader said, his tone unreadable, his posture perfect, his face hidden behind a complex mask and breathing aparatas. 

“Yes. You are familiar with Grand Admiral Thrawn and his exploits? He will be joining you to finally quell these rebel skirmishes.” 

Thrawn narrowed his eyes, though Vader might be physically unreadable, his hesitation suggested annoyance.

“I have heard of your talents in battle, Grand Admiral.”  
Thrawn nodded appreciatively. “And I have heard of your many victories as well. You are a powerful figure in more ways than one.” He had heard whispers of Vader’s use of the Force. A small shiver went down his spine. The idea of an invisible force tying all things together and determining the course of people’s lives was not something Thrawn wished to meddle with. Vader had his own flagship, the Executor, and hopefully he would stay there and not set foot on the Chimaera. 

The Emperor smiled as though he watched two pets at play. “I am certain you will become eager allies soon enough.” 

Seeming to know he’d been dismissed, Vader retreated with a swirl of his black cloak. Thrawn did his best not to raise a critical eyebrow.

“The others may enter..” The Emperor motioned to the door and his guards brought Commanders Vanto and Faro into the room. Vanto’s brow was furrowed and his arms tense. His nerves seemed more frayed than they had been. The wait had clearly affected him negatively. Commander Faro, however, stood tall and her eyes were relaxed yet inquisitive. As far as Thrawn knew, this was her first time in the Emperor’s throne room. 

“Commanders,” The Emperor said in what Thrawn assumed was meant to be a warm tone. “I have heard you are both valuable members of the Chimaera’s crew. And you, Commander Faro,” his eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “I hear you are a resolute captain.”

“Thank you, your highness,” she said, dark, curly hair bobbing as she gave a polite bow. 

“There will be a public ceremony at four o’clock today for those who led us to the victory at Batonn. I wished to greet you three personally, and have a few words in private with the Grand Admiral.” 

Faro looked at Thrawn, eyebrows raised appreciatively. Eli’s lip curled up slightly. 

“You are all dismissed. Again, thank you for your loyal service.” The Emperor said, his voice taking on a weariness it had not had before. He turned from them, again to look out one of the massive windows that lined the room. 

They walked out in silence, but when the door shut and they were alone in the hall, Faro immediately spun to Thrawn. “What was all that about--aside from a private promotion?”

“I am not completely certain.”

Vanto still did not have his normal stance or stride. “What troubles you, Commander?”

He glared at Thrawn. “I think you know.”

Faro was unfazed in her line of questioning. “But what did happen?”

“An introduction was made,” Thrawn said, remembering Vader’s sudden appearance. “Lord Vader.”

“Vader!” Vanto squawked. “You can’t be serious? He’s one of the most dangerous people in the Empire.” 

Faro seemed similarly jarred by this revelation, but kept silent.

“I will assume command of the 7th Fleet and we will be joining Vader’s forces as they calm rebellion.”

“Calm’s not the word, I’d use, sir,” Faro said. “I assume you weren’t given a choice, then.”

“No. With the position of Grand Admiral comes this new assignment. Which indeed illuminates what is most important to the Empire.”

“Hunting rebels.” Faro said softly. 

____________________

At 1600 hours there was indeed a public ceremony with several governors present, including Governor Restos of Batonn, along with other admirals and generals. Eli felt a little sick. He also felt like everyone in the room was reading his mind, and he couldn’t understand how in all the star systems Thrawn seemed so cool and collected. 

Thrawn was promoted to Grand Admiral, as he already knew, and had donned a bright white uniform. Members of the Army and members of the Chimaera’s crew were also promoted, most notably Faro who became a Captain, which was long overdue, and several bridge crew. Eli had not been called to stand with those being promoted, so he saw that he was once again passed over. Under the circumstances, he didn’t mind. In the audience, he suddenly saw Governor Pryce and he could barely hold back a sneer. She must have rushed back to be here and see this. She gave him a tight lipped smile.

After the ceremony, the crew of the Chimaera grouped around their captain outside the Palace. As usual when it came to socializing, Thrawn was absent.

“Lieutenant Commander Griet!” Faro said, clapping the tall red headed man on the back. “Wouldn’t have anyone else as my First Officer.” She turned to the others, a group of four who were part of the Chimaera’s bridge crew and had also been promoted. Eli stood among them, trying hard to smile along. 

Faro began again, “I am honored to serve with all of you. I think we deserve a good night’s relaxation.”

“A good night’s party, she means!” The newly Lieutenant Creen said with a laugh.

“This lady does know her captain,” Faro said, sending the group into peals of laughter.

There was plenty of light in the sky, but the sun had moved behind the towering buildings, and the street lights had begun to blaze. Here, in the most wealthy side of town, Coruscant looked like the urban utopia it was meant to be. Well-dressed people bustled from shop to shop, and bright lights advertised restaurants and boutiques. Citizens nodded with respect as officers of the Navy passed by. 

This respect was distinct from the way other members of the Navy usually treated the Chimaera crew. Though they were regarded by high command as one of the most effective crews in the Navy, the other ISD crews generally looked on them with disdain. Thawn said they were jealous of their power in the galaxy, but Eli thought their feelings probably had more to with the alien Admiral and woman Captain on board.

Lieutenant Yve dropped back beside Eli, her green eyes warm with concern. “What’s wrong?” 

Eli’s heart skipped a beat like it always did when she spoke to him directly. Qura Yve was the bridge commander of weaponry and Eli admired her swift mind and steady hand. Her short cropped black hair and slanted eyes added to her aire of precision. Everyone on the Chimaera’s bridge crew had to be quick to keep up with Thrawn and Faro, but Yve saw patterns of battle that even they sometimes missed. It wasn’t surprising, therefore, that she noticed his distraction.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” Eli said with a half-smile.

Yve pursed her lips. “Sure you do. You know, none of us are fine with what happened at Batonn.”

“Yeah, you’re all just happy to get promoted over it.” Eli didn’t mean for it to sound so cruel. Why did he always say the wrong things?

“Sounds like you’re just bitter you didn’t get promoted over it.” Her voice was usually melodious, but now it had an edge. “I’m sorry. I--”

“Doesn’t matter,” Eli said, holding up a hand to stop her words. “I know no one is fine with what happened. And no, I don’t care about a promotion. I’m just thinking.”

“Something about the Grand Admiral?” She asked with a lilted tone.

“You’ve got no idea.”

The bar where they settled was as uppercrust as everything else about the Federal district, but Eli realized that there, amongst his crew, he didn’t feel out of place. All the fancy Coruscantans didn’t see a Wild Spacer trying to fit in where he didn’t belong, they just saw a member of the Imperial Navy. That did help to relax him somewhat as he listened to the conversation of his shipmates. It wasn’t until the second Ryll beer Captain Faro shoved in his hand, however, that Eli began to chat freely amongst them too, letting his anxieties slip away. 

First Officer Harmon Griet gave a loud guffaw. He was a good balance to Faro’s sharpness with a gentle nature and understanding attitude. If there were any conflicts between members of the crew, he was the one to speak to everyone and smooth feathers. Right now, he reminded the team of their encounter with an especially reckless band of pirates. “And then they thought they should just turn around and fight? With those weapons?”

It had been ludicrous to see. Their tiny freighter against the Chimaera. At the time, Eli felt a little sorry for them.

“They were lucky they ran into us!” Faro slurred, “Admiral Titus would have blasted them to stardust.”

As it had been, Captain Faro had been on the bridge and tractor beamed them in. They were, of course, in prison, but at least they had their lives. 

Ruby Creen leaned in, “But I hear now we’ll be on ‘Rebel duty’ full time. More Scrim Islands and less stupid pirates.” Creen was bridge commander of engineering and she and Eli shared a love of numbers and figures. She however was a little more bloodthirsty. 

Faro raised her glass. “Cheers to that!”

Yve took a swig and then leaned in too, “I hear it gets pretty dangerous, though. Those insurgents know what they’re doing.”

“But so does our crew.” Eli said with a smile.The alcohol had flooded him with warm feelings. “I’m not worried. Besides, could you imagine any of that ragtag crew standing a chance against all of us? We’ve got a great team.” 

“They’re not that ragtag. You remember the starfleet we faced at Batonn. They knew what they were doing,” Griet said with a twinge of worry. 

Faro nudged him with her shoulder. “They hardly fazed us.” She turned more serious, but still a little slurry. “Now, I’m not saying we ought to get cocky! That’s the last thing we need to do. But like Admiral Thrawn says, ‘confidence’!”

“Grand Admiral,” Eli said with a chuckle,

Faro snorted. “I’m not giving him an extra syllable except to his face.” Everyone knew she meant it in good humor and they all laughed again. 

_______________________________  
That morning, Eli wasn’t quite sure how many drinks he’d had, but he was almost certain someone had ordered a round of flameouts. He hoped he hadn’t had one, but that would explain his headache. He reminded himself that this was why he wasn’t much of a drinker. 

On his bedside table, his communicator buzzed with an incoming call. Rolling over with a groan, he saw it was Thrawn.

“Morning, sir,” he meant to say, but it sounded more like “man sah.” He cleared his throat.

“I trust you had a pleasant evening, then.” Thrawn said, and Eli could tell by the warmth in his tone that’d he’s smiled. 

“Yeah, where were you? A bunch of us were out.”

“I need to speak with you privately.” Now his voice was all-business. “We shall meet at the Nebula Cafe if that is agreeable to you.”

Eli nodded, and then said, “Sure, yeah. I’ll meet you there. An hour?”

“Thirty minutes.” And the connection cut.

Giving another growl of frustration at his comm, Eli struggled out of bed and pulled a simple tunic and vest over some casual trousers. He never thought he’d get used to wearing a uniform every day, but now casual wear was less comfortable to him. A uniform gave him a sense of purpose, but he supposed that at a time like this he needed to blend in. He knew very well what Thrawn needed to discuss.

The sun blazed outside, but there was a crispness to the air. A perfect day as far as Eli was concerned. The base was bustling with activity. Drills, exercises, and the general rushing about to complete tasks kept all those on-duty at the base occupied. The excitement helped wake Eli up a little. Only five more days until they would be back in the air, and he looked forward to it. With off-duty days like he’d had so far this week, he preferred to be working. 

As he left the base, he noticed with a quizzical eye that the patrols around the fence had doubled. Standing at the guard house was Lieutenant Commander Jesper. He realized that was the man’s voice he had heard the other night talking about not paying benefits to Duronese people. 

Curious, he took out his datapad and accessed files on Duro to find out what Jesper and his female companion had been discussing. There had been health and disability benefits paid to all factory workers on Duro until the Empire took over production there about a year ago. In a court case, a judge ruled that only humans would continue to receive these protections and not the native people of the planet. Another quick search told him that only 5% of the Duro population was human. His throat clenched. How could that have ever passed? Ah, the governor of Duro was human, and all their representatives in the Senate were human. 

Walking out of the base, he gave Jesper a nod while hiding his disgust. He began looking up stats on several Imperial occupied planets and found that for almost all of them, regardless of the population makeup, their governors and reps were human. Looking back on it, he’d known that on some basic level, but he’d never really thought of it. For much of his life, he’d looked down on Core Worlders for being snobs, but no, it was human Core Worlders. Being human himself, he just thought of human as neutral, but he was wrong, of course. Even though he’d spent a lot of time around non-humans, he still had a bias that he didn’t even notice. He wondered how many other humans even questioned that bias? A bias that could prove deadly to the population of Duro. 

Going along the sidewalk to the cafe, he passed several other officers he knew. Most of them gave him the cold shoulder he and the rest of the Chimaera crew usually received, but some nodded politely and even said good morning. 

Nebula Cafe was crowded, and it took Eli a moment to locate Thrawn toward the back at a booth. There were many more non-humans on Coruscant and in his casual dark tunic and vest he almost blended in. 

Eli slid into the booth facing him, still feeling a little like a sleep-walker.

“Have you made your decision yet?”

In that moment, all the stress he’d been fighting came sliding back. “No.”

“Then perhaps this will assist you.” Thrawn took out a personal datapad--not the one that the Empire had given to all of them for official business. After a few button presses, he passed the pad to Eli.

It took him a moment to understand what he was seeing, but then it hit him hard. Thrawn had somehow gained access to formal communiques sent out from the base on the night of the explosion. Commandant Gregor’s name was at the top of one letterhead. 

“There was an attack of the Coruscant base by a rebel cell at 2400 hours. One casualty. Security will need to be enhanced.” This communique had gone out to all sectors. 

Eli met Thrawn’s eyes. “It was an accident. I guess you knew that though. Everyone on the base should know it was. We were given an all clear within a few minutes of the explosion.” 

Thrawn nodded, and then reached across and pushed a button to pull up a clip of video from the Holonet regarding the incident. A recording of the explosion played with voices, again, discussing the dangerous rebel factions. They did not directly say the explosion was the result of an attack, but any casual viewer would have assumed. Eli swallowed hard. 

“I found documentation that indicates this sort of misdirection happens often. Not only are they lying to you and me, they are lying to everyone.” Thrawn folded his arms on the table and looked hard at Eli.

When Eli said nothing, Thrawn started again. “Do you remember that incident at Yinchom Dojo here on Coruscant? You were not heavily involved, but you may recall there were arrests related to an assassination attempt and espionage.”

“Yeah, I remember, it’s what started our dubious relationship with Pryce.”

“Yes,” Thrawn muttered. “I spent time reading the files then, and reviewed them now. Nighswan was leading that spy ring, and some of the data he collected on the governors was alarming. Corruption is widespread. The Senate and government are no more than props that allude to representation. Nightswan told me that the reason for all the upset on Batonn is that the people are not being helped. Their representatives will not share their grievances with the Senate, and even if they did nothing would be done.”

“Thrawn, I’ve still got my same concerns. This is all too big to take on.” Eli ran his fingers along the edge of the table. “I’m not saying this isn’t bad. I’m not saying something shouldn’t be done, but--”

“We will not be doing everything at once, and I know there are those who also believe conditions must improve. There are likely many who agree with us. We only must find them.”

Eli remembered his months at Myomar Academy. His commanding officers had been kind and everyone there seemed to truly want to help. Crime in Wild Space was rampant and people enlisted with the Empire hoping it meant there would be peace. He thought of the crew of the Blood Crow, and the Thunder Wasp, and kind Captain Cheno who had mentored him for months. He thought of last night as he and the crew of the Chimaera discussed their past and future. Then he recalled the hell that had been the Royal Imperial Academy, Captain Rossi’s court marshalling of Thrawn, and Cheno’s disgraced retirement. Finally, he thought of what Pryce had done to all the innocent people of Batonn, and how she still had Eli and Thrawn under her thumb. 

Eli began slowly. “You’re right. There are those who would agree with us. And we do know where some of them are since we’re the ones who arrested them.”

“Yes.” Thrawn said.

The thought of cleaning house and taking down people like Pryce, Captain Rossi, and all the scum who looked down on him and the rest of the Chimaera certainly gave him satisfaction; however, the Emperor, Vader and probably the rest of the high command would not take kindly. That was enough to give him pause. 

Perhaps because of Eli’s silence, Thrawn said, “When things so egregious have been done that they cannot be ignored, action must be taken.”

Eli chewed on a lip. “What about Vader? You said we’re supposed to be working with him.”

“I do not anticipate any resistance. He seemed disinclined to collaborate with us, and I believe that as long as we seem to be following orders and doing the Emperor’s bidding he will have no interest.”

“Unless you start hunting rebels better than he does.”

“I will endeavor not to outshine his efforts, however difficult that will be.” A smile played on Thrawn’s lips.

Eli thought of the people of Batonn, the people of Duro, and finally his Wild Space home. It was only a matter of time before the Empire turned its eye to Lysatra. If the Core Worlders took hold of Myomar Academy, it would be no better than the Royal Imperial Academy, and if they took over production on Lysatra, his parents would likely be out of a job, not to mention all the non-humans on the planet. 

“Alright. Let’s do it.” Eli said, taking a very deep breath.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, the ranks of the Navy come from the "Old Version" of the ranking system found here: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rank_insignia_of_the_Galactic_Empire/old_version

“We’ve got the ship in view, Captain,” Senior Lieutenant Yve called. 

Far ahead, a battle-scarred bulk freighter slowly moved forward. The freighter had been involved in a doonium theft outside Duro, and the Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger had failed to capture it. The Chimaera was alerted to the freighter’s presence in the Derra system and had been searching for it several hours. Here it lay on the outskirts of the system, near a small moon. 

Commander Braxley looked up from his console at Faro. “Sensor readings indicate the doonium is on board, but no other suspicious compounds and no weapons except the standard lasers.”

Eli spoke from the communications console. “Should I attempt contact?” 

“Yes,” Faro said. “And hold fire, Yve. Unless it looks like they’re trying to run.”

Eli cleared his throat and spoke clear Basic into the comm. “Bulk Freighter C-3357 this is the Imperial Star Destroyer, Chimaera. Cease your movement or you will be fired upon.”

The comm channel popped, but there was no answer.

“I repeat, cease your movement, or you will be fired upon.”

“Right, right,” a harried voice said. “What the frag do you want? You Imperial sons-a-bantha’s are always in my way, first you trail me here, and then you start chatting. Chimaera, eh? Can I talk to the alien on board? I bet--” Eli cut the commlink. 

“He’s stalling,” Eli called.

“Additional ships moving in from the coreward side,” Yve said. “Just made the jump from hyperspace.”

“Two rebel cruisers--MC40As,” Locke at defense confirmed with an air of excitement. “One CR70 corvette, and two Mansk class frigates. Fighters incoming: T-65s and RZ-1s. They think they’ve surprised us.” 

Faro strode to the front of the bridge. “Alert all commands. Good thing we also brought some friends along.”

Eli knew his cue and sent the comm signal to the four Star Destroyers that had been lying in wait. 

They jumped from hyperspace and into battle formation next to the Chimaera. 

“Deploy the TIEs. Formation Nen,” Faro said, watching through the main view-window. “Open a channel to the other ISDs. Interceptor, Diligence, Ajax, Nihil hold your positions.”

The rebels had held off when the ISDs appeared. With limited resources, the rebels had to pick their battles, and with smaller, more maneuverable fleets, fleeing was usually a good option. The cruisers flanked the freighter, and the frigates tailed the cruisers, moving to allow their guns clean shots at the Imperial fleet if needed. The X and A-wings held formation too, covering the cruisers and corvette. Eli knew that as the TIEs drew nearer, the frigates and starfighters would fire first if pressed. The plan had to move fast. 

Faro nodded to Eli, and he opened the comm channel again. “Interceptor to coreward,” she said. “Ajax to rimward. Nihil, below. Let’s box them in.”

“Aye, Captain Faro,” it was acting captain Harmon Griet on board the Ajax who spoke. Usually the First Officer on the Chimaera, Faro had sent him on board to make sure that part of the plan went smoothly.

Commodore Gunnel of the Interceptor returned in a drawl, “We should blow those rebels to oblivion.”

“Along with the doonium that freighter holds?” Faro snapped back. 

“We can destroy a cruiser, and maybe they’ll surrender,” He continued, his voice revealing a smirk.

“I’m acting on the orders of the Grand Admiral himself. If you have any concerns, you can bring them up with him.” Faro rolled her eyes and turned back to the windows.

The TIEs began to flank the rebels and the ISDs moved into positions. That was all the Rebel starfighters would take; they assembled into formation and began a rapid assault.

“TIE fighters return fire. Turbolasers at the ready, but hold.” Faro said, and Yve relayed the command to the TIEs. 

In front of them, the TIEs, X and A-wings whipped in a flurry of movement, flashes of red and green laser fire lighting up the darkness. The frigates assumed position and fired a wave of blasts targeting the Chimaera and the TIEs in between.

“Diligence,” Faro said, an edge to her voice, “take position.” The Diligence began to move out of formation with the other ISDs and into the fray, it’s position indefensible.

Commodore Gunnel of the Intercepter again rose from the comms, though this time his voice was urgent. “What are you doing, woman! The Diligence is a sitting duck there.”

The Diligence moved between the Rebel Fleet and the ISDs, turning itself 90 degrees on edge. Its command tower toward the Chimaera and its keelside toward the rebels, it shielded the ISDs from enemy fire.

Gunnel was still shouting, so Eli muted his comm link. 

Faro said calmly. “Diligence, hold your position. TIEs, fall back behind the Diligence. Ajax, take position Shen 5. Nihil position Isk 2. Intercepter, position Krill 3.” 

The Nihil moved to the right and perpendicular to the Diligence, creating the side of a box while the Ajax moved below the rebel fleet. The Interceptor was meant to move to the other side and the Chimaera would move over the top.

“The rebels are continuing to retreat. Seems we’ve got them spooked,” Lieutenant Locke at the defense console said. “The rebel frigates have continued their assault. The Diligence is taking heavy fire.”

Yve said. “The Rebel Fleet might make a jump to lightspeed.”

“Noted,” Faro said, standing with face to the window. The Interceptor had not taken its position, but was instead moving out of the blockade. Faro took a deep breath. “Interceptor. Return to position Krill 3.” She waited, watching. “I repeat, position Krill 3.”

“No response, Captain.” Eli said, unmuting the comm. 

The turbolift opened, and Thrawn stepped onto the bridge, his movements sharp and quick. “The Interceptor has broken formation?” He asked, coming up beside Faro, voice calm, hands behind his back. 

“Yes, sir,” she said. Then she directed her attention back to command. “Ajax commence sequence Dorn 2. Nihil and Diligence engage heavy shields. Diligence, how are you holding up?”

“Just fine,” Captain Dunly said. “We’ve sustained severe damage to the lower decks, and the ionization reactor is disabled, but we’re holding out.”

The Interceptor finally made its move, but it wasn’t according to orders. It swooped into the middle of the formation and fired turbolasers on the Rebel frigates, destroying one almost immediately and clipping the edge of a cruiser. The X and A-wings fought back, swarming the ISD, while the Interceptor’s turbolasers continued to fire in swift volleys. The Rebel cruiser righted itself and fired all guns. The frigates turned to fire broadsides. The space around the Interceptor filled with explosions, some from the destroyed Rebel ships and some from its own hull. 

“Stars above,” Yve muttered. 

“Hold fire all!” Faro called.

“Interceptor,” Thrawn began, voice icy. “Commodore Gunnel, fall into position.”

Lieutenant Locke at defense said quietly to no one in particular, “The fighters are taking out the shields. Look at them.”

A squadron of X and A-wings wove in front of the laser turrets drawing fire while another squadron managed to slip inside the ISD’s shields to take out a gun turret and a shield generator. Now, as the coreward guns and shields were down on the Interceptor, the frigate and fighters moved in for the kill sending volley after volley of laserfire. 

“TIEs--” Faro began, but Thrawn cut her off.

“They will hold position,” He said. “Ajax. You were given an order: sequence Dorn 2.”

Angling its modified ion cannons for better trajectory, Ajax fired broad ion cannon blasts from all its guns. The green light flooded the darkness and the rebel ships lit up with green energy. The lights of the remaining starfighters flickered out and they began to drift. The frigates and cruisers went dead and still. Giving one final desperate blast, the Interceptor, too, was disabled by the ion cannon. 

Unfortunately, the Interceptor’s poorly aimed turbolaser struck the damaged bulk freighter in the rear engine and started a chain reaction of fireballs moving toward the bow of the ship. The blast culminated in an explosion of doonium shrapnel flying out in all directions like buckshot. A rebel frigate that was near went up in flame as the metal shot through the hull like it was made of paper. The doonium slugs finally slammed into the shields of the Chimaera, sending a jolt through the ship.

“Locke, report.” Faro said with a snarl.

“Minimal damage,” Locke said from his defense console. “Shields holding.”

Faro and Thrawn looked out the view-window, eyes set in an almost identical narrowed gaze. They wouldn’t have too long before the Rebel techs rebooted the ships’ systems.

Faro called, “TIEs, disable weapons.”

The TIEs swarmed like bees on the still ships. Their shots were accurate, keeping the ships intact but obliterating their weapons and defenses.

“Tractor beams,” Thrawn said, eyes still locked on the Interceptor.

The Chimaera, Ajax, Nihil and Diligence all engaged their beams and began to pull in the nearest rebel ships. They captured all that was left of the fleet: six starfighters, two cruisers, the corvette, and the remaining frigate.

“Let me know the moment their systems are operational,” Thrawn said to Braxley on sensors. He then turned to Eli, “As soon as they are, open a transmission to the Rebel Fleet.”

All was silent for a few moments as the Ajax, Nihil, and Diligence righted themselves and came into battle positions along with all the TIEs.

“Now, sir,” said Braxley.

“This is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Seventh Fleet. Surrender and be treated with respect or continue to fight and be destroyed.”

First to answer was a woman’s voice, and she sounded remarkably calm. “This is Commander Galdeena of the True Shot. We stand down.”

“Captain Toorgen of the Liberator. We yield.” The man’s voice seethed with barely disguised rage.

“You will be towed to the Imperial Base on Derra,” Thrawn said. “If you attempt any escape or transmission, you will all be killed.” 

As the words left his mouth, the TIEs surrounded the ships in tow.

“Close the channel to the Rebels, but monitor any transmission they might make.”

“Yes, sir,” Eli said.

Faro now spoke with pride. “Ajax, Nihil, Diligence, course has been set to Derra, well done.” She then looked to Thrawn and raised an eyebrow. 

He spoke softly. “Open channel to Interceptor only. Commodore Gunnel.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.” The trepidation in his voice was palpable. 

“Report on your damages.”

Gunnel took a breath before speaking. “Severe damage to coreward hull, shields disabled, coreward turbolaser turrets damaged, moderate casualties in engineering and weaponry levels, and mild casualties on barrack and command levels.”

“You lost us the doonium,” Thrawn said. “Though you did give us with an example of Rebel might against a sloppy attack and disobeyed orders.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “Can the Interceptor make it to Derra unaided.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then follow.”

“Grand Admiral,” Gunnel began again, “Allow me to express my sincerest regrets for my actions.”

“You should extend apologies to your suffering crew. Perhaps they, and the families of the dead will forgive you.” Thrawn swept from the bridge, and the Chimaera continued to lead the way to Derra Base. 

___________________________________  
Derra Base was a holdover from the Republic and was mainly overlooked by the Empire except for the small garrison stationed there. 

When all the shuttles landed, the captives were transported to medical facilities upon Thrawn’s orders. Med speeders surrounded by dense security picked up the rebels and sped off to the Derra Base Emergency Facility. Some of the people onboard the ships were human, but there were also Mon Calamari, Ithorians, Twi’leks, Bothans, and a couple of Rodians. The Seventh Fleet had taken nearly 100 prisoners; one of the most successful captures the Empire had ever had--most likely because the Empire normally didn’t take prisoners. 

“Are you sure they’re going to make it there alive?” Eli said as he and Thrawn left one of the base offices.

It was a bright, sunny afternoon, and the air was warm with a light breeze; it felt good to be outside after several weeks onboard the Chimaera. Derra was about as different from the Coruscant base as one could get. The planet had a temperate rainforest climate, so they were surrounded by birds, trees, and vegetation. Derra was also sparsely populated, so the base was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. While the planet was lovely, the base was certainly not. While Coruscant was glittering and wealthy, the small collection of buildings at Derra base were utilitarian and borderline grim. It actually reminded Eli of home. 

“I am certain the captives will be safe,” Thrawn said. “I personally chose the troopers assigned to guard the prisoners. It is also convenient that I am the highest ranking officer here.” Thrawn gave one of his rare smiles. 

“That’s no coincidence. You’re the highest ranking wherever we go.” 

Thrawn held up a finger. “Not true. We shall have to avoid many of the innermost Core Worlds. Derra is an all-but-forgotten base, so it’s the perfect location for our purposes.”

They walked in silence a few minutes until Eli said, “What exactly are you going to do with all of them? I don’t know that anyone in the Empire is happy about this capture besides you.”

“The Emperor will be pleased by the information we gain, and so will our new partner.”

Thrawn’s veiled reference to Vader made Eli’s skin crawl. He kept his voice low. “But if you tell Vader what you find out--?”

“We will have to be careful about what we share,” Thrawn said as they walked along the edge of the base.

“You’ve certainly done a good job being careful so far,” Eli said.

Eli was surprised by how well things had gone with the plan. Not only had they managed to get rid of the doonium, but they’d gotten Gunnel out of the way as well. It was unlikely he’d recover from this Court Marshal; however, the death toll of the Derra moon battle had been higher than they had expected, both for the rebels and the crewmembers on board the Interceptor. The damage to the ships had been expected, but since all the ISDs had been running on carefully placed skeleton crews, there were only a three casualties aboard the Diligence and none on the other ships.

Eli felt a pang of guilt. “The Interceptor was in really bad shape. Did you know that Commodore Gunnel would do that?”

“I did not know,” Thrawn said slowly. “Gunnel was chosen for this mission due to his volatile nature, though I did not expect such a violent revolt. It is unfortunate for his crew, though he needed to be removed from his position.”

Before Thrawn and Eli even met Gunnel, they had heard of his scouting missions to non-Imperial controlled planets. To him, “scouting” meant ravaging, killing, looting, and burning. When Thrawn gained command of the Seventh Fleet, Gunnel had been a thorn in his side. Regularly insubordinate and outright cruel to commanding officers and his crew, Gunnel definitely fell into Thrawn’s category of “those against whom action must be taken.”

“But was it worth it?” Eli said. “Three hundred casualties onboard the Interceptor.”

“Eli, you must not let yourself fall into that trap. You know I too find senseless bloodshed unacceptable, but this is battle and there will always be casualties. We must make sure deaths are not in vain. If we had done nothing, if we had followed orders and returned the doonium, that battle, and those lives would have been wasted.”

Eli nodded slowly, letting the words sink in. He thought that such flippant discussion of “wasted” lives was easy enough when you were safe on the bridge of a flagship. “What if he hadn’t destroyed the doonium? You couldn’t have known he would do that. That wasn’t your plan, was it?”

“I knew we were tracking a PCL 27 freighter, so I did make sure the Interceptor’s position was optimal to destroy the cargo if Gunnel had chosen to fire.The timing of the doonium’s destruction was not what I would have chosen, but its destruction was necessary. If the bulk freighter had escaped, that would have been difficult to explain, but if the ship had exploded from previous damage what could we have done?”

“Oh, so you were going to blow it up and lie about it?”

“Yes, to put it bluntly. The loss of that doonium will be a blow to the Death Star’s completion. We must hold off construction as long as possible, hence lives not lost in vain,” Thrawn said.

“Well then, I guess I know why First Officer Griet was onboard the Ajax. Making sure the ion cannons went off when you said was the most important part of the mission, so you had to make sure the Ajax was following orders even if no one else was.”

“Correctly surmised, Commander Vanto. Engineering Commander Creen deserves commendation for her brilliant rerouting of the ion cannons. The attack was supremely effective.”

“Ruby sure is a genius,” Eli said. “Why don’t we do that all the time? With the ion cannons, I mean.” 

“Creen would have to give you details, but the turbolaser turrets were fitted with ion cannons, and the amount of power needed for that attack disabled many of the Ajax’s other processes.”

“I see, so if it hadn’t been for the other ships and our specific formation Ajax wouldn’t have been much use. Just like you basically turned the Diligence into a floating shield.”

“A versatile navy is important.”

“Right, but you sure are keeping the repair yards in business.”

Thrawn chuckled softly. “I suppose I am.”

Eli considered. Thrawn had planned for Gunnel to disobey orders, and he was prepared for other people to potentially disobey as well, even Commodore Marinith who seemed to like Thrawn a lot. Thrawn seemed to only trust a handful of people, and though it had served him well so far, Eli worried it might eventually come around to bite him. 

“Say,” Eli began, “what about Captain Faro? You haven’t approached her in secret and brought into your club yet, have you?”

Thrawn stared blankly for a moment and then he caught on. “No, I have not. What do you think about that prospect?”

Captain Faro was one of the most reliable and professional people Eli had ever worked with, and aside from Thrawn, she was the only one Eli ever wanted to take orders from. Unlike so many officers, she genuinely cared about missions and her crew, she wasn’t fishing for her next promotion. She was also the most “by the book” commander Eli knew

“She’s great. I mean, with all the mess Gunnel put us through she was calm. She’s always been good at command. She’s smart. She can keep up with you, and you two get along. I worry that she’s a little too…loyal to the Empire.”

“Your assessment is apt. She despises anyone who goes against regulation, so obviously, she would not look kindly on all that we are doing. She is, however, just as pleased with Gunnel’s court-marshall as we are, and she’s not afraid of some unorthodox methods. As you said, we get along.” As Thrawn finished his sentence, he looked back, as always hearing noises before Eli did.

Captain Faro called from behind them and caught up. “There’s one canteen here at the base. You two want to join me and the rest of the bridge crew?”

Almost all of the crews of the ISDs had stayed in orbit. With thousands of crew on board, they would have swarmed the base like ants on a picnic table. Captains and select bridge crew had been the only ones to stay at the ground base. Commodore Gunnel’s crew had been evacuated to the other ISDs and Gunnel had been taken to the Chimaera’s brig.

“You going to work on paperwork?” Eli asked Thrawn, quite certain what he would say.

“I will join you for a meal,” Thrawn said. “It will be some time before I can question the Rebel commanders.” 

As they walked, Thrawn turned to Faro. “Well done, Captain.”

“Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said with a smile. “We make a good team. What are we going to do with all those prisoners? You can’t just leave them here, are we taking them back to Coruscant?”

“No, I don’t believe so.” Thrawn whispered as they neared the restaurant, “I do have a plan for them, and I will share it in time.”

With that, they entered the tiny restaurant that was full to the brim with the celebratory Seventh Fleet. 

Everyone was seated by ship, but some people were hovering around from table to table. The Captains of the other ships nodded politely as Thrawn passed, but aged Commodore Marinith put a hand on his shoulder causing Thrawn to tense slightly. 

“You always come up with the most exciting battle plans, Grand Admiral.” He smiled warmly. “It’s an honor, as usual.”

“Captain Faro and Commander Creen must share your praises,” Thrawn said. “This victory could not have been won without their assistance, as well as support from all of you here. If one piece of the puzzle falls apart…” Thrawn trailed off, quite obviously alluding to Gunnel.

“Quite so,” Marinth said with a frown, his long mustache draping down his chin. “Enjoy your meal, Admiral.”

“You as well. You should be very proud of your crew.” With that, he nodded to the Ajax’s table and moved to sit with the Chimaera’s crew.

Though pleased to see him, the Chimaera crew also looked a little unsettled. Thrawn hardly ever joined them in the mess hall or for outings on Coruscant.

Faro and Eli took their seats first, and then Eli nodded for Thrawn to take a seat beside him. At times like this, Thrawn’s Chiss nature still stood out. It was alienating enough to be the most highly-ranked person at the table; even as a human he’d have to navigate the careful balance of friendship and professional distance. How close can he sit to someone? What feelings can he reveal? But for Thrawn, even the most mundane of human interactions had to be studied and practiced. Chiss didn’t even shake hands. This was certainly an advanced lesson in socialization. 

Everyone acknowledged the newcomers to the table, showing a little more deference to Thrawn with a brief greeting before going back to their conversations. 

Commander Creen leaned across the table to Thrawn. “The ion cannons worked perfectly, sir! Thank you for letting me try out my plan.”

Thrawn nodded. “It was the lynchpin of the strategy. Thank you for your ingenuity.”

They continued to discuss the modification of the turbolasers, and the technical terms started to fly over Eli’s head.

Faro had already struck up an animated conversation with First Officer Griet, so Eli looked across the table at Senior Lieutenant Qura Yve. She sipped an almost empty ale and listened to a conversation between Locke and Braxley about the new sensors on the latest ISD IIs. 

“Nice job today, Yve.” Eli said, putting his elbows on the table.

“Thanks!” She seemed grateful for a new conversation, leaning across the table too so they were almost face-to-face. “It would have been better if Commodore Gunnel hadn’t gone rogue. What makes someone break formation and attack like that against orders?”

Eli frowned. Gunnel had been talking down to him and Thrawn since the first time they met him, and as soon as Thrawn assumed command of the Seventh Fleet, Gunnel had been all but mutinous. “Not having respect, and thinking you know better, I suppose.”

Yve shook her head. “I just can’t imagine someone could get all the way to Commodore and then ruin their career like that.”

“It only ruined his career because he was wrong,” Eli said, making the realization as he spoke. 

Yve chuckled and met Eli’s eyes. “Didn’t realize you had a rebellious streak, Vanto.”

Eli felt a blush creeping into his cheeks. “Well you know, you were there at Botajef. Thrawn’s done some crazy things, yet he’s always gotten away with it because he’s right.”

“Your Grand Admiral does invent some outlandish strategies.” 

“He’s certainly not mine,” Eli said with a laugh. He sometimes felt it was fun to play along with the claims people made about his relationship with Thrawn, but at this moment, he definitely wanted her to know he was single.

She laughed too, combing back her short black hair with a hand. “You two have been together a long time. I think we owe a good deal of the Chimaera’s success to you. The Admiral’s just the flashy one who gets all the attention.”

The server brought Eli and Yve ales, and he took a sip, promising himself to be careful with his intake. “Oh, I don’t know about that, but it’s real nice of you to say so.”

“To a battle well-fought!” Yve announced to the table, raising her glass.

The rest of the table raised glasses as well, repeating her words. Eli thought Thrawn looked a little lost, but he followed along well, as usual. When Eli looked back, however, Yve’s dark brown eyes weren’t on anyone else at the table but him. 

___________________________________

Thrawn leaned in the open door, enjoying the nighttime breeze, and watching the crews mingle happily together. The drinking had continued and the food had been passable, so everyone was in high spirits as night fell. 

The Nihil table had begun a rousing, if slightly drunken, rendition of the march “It was a Starflower,” and it had begun to spread about the room. 

“So lonesome and abandoned,  
As this starflower stood,  
So were our lives forlorn  
Till two hearts joined for good.  
A life of love forever  
With luck and shining sun,  
Is what this flower gave to us,  
What it for us has done.”

 

Eli and Senior Lieutenant Yve were conversing happily and the other members of the bridge crew were similarly engaged in conversation or song. 

Captain Faro spoke with Commodore Marinth, but when her eyes caught Thrawn’s, she pardoned herself and made for his direction.

“Problem, Captain?” Thrawn said. 

“No problem. You? You’re always so serious, sir.” Her face was open, her cheeks warm from the merriment in the room. 

“I am contemplating the prisoners.”

She set her lips in a firm line, eyes hardening. “Anything you need from me, sir?”

“I value your skills,” Thrawn began. “The Fleet respects you-- though not as much as they should-- and you have a good eye for battle and strategy. You are open to learning and criticism as well as input from your crew. It is an honor to serve alongside you.”

Her eyes widened and heat rose in her cheeks again. She was silent for a second or two, swift mind processing. Then she leaned back slightly, her eyes narrowing, stance tensed. “Thank you, sir,” she said. “We do work well together.” 

“Be at ease.” Thrawn said. “I know you are unaccustomed to my making such statements, but I mean these things in earnest with no ill-intent.” 

Her tension eased somewhat. “I know you mean no ill-intent, but...I’ve never heard you say so many personal things about someone. It took me off-guard. Usually you’ll give someone a firm ‘thank you’ or a ‘well done,’ and that’s the end of it.”

Thrawn nodded. “I understand. I simply wished for you to know my thoughts.”

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“Yes.”

“You always surprise me. Just when I think have you figured out. You do something else. It’s been an honor to serve alongside you too.” She gave him a warm smile.

“What brought you to serve in the Imperial Navy?” Thrawn said, carefully watching her face.

Faro shrugged.“I served in the Republic’s Navy. My father had been in the Navy, so I naturally wanted to follow his footsteps. I fought in the Clone Wars, and he died in them.” There was a flicker in her eyes and a brief clench of her hands. “Then I went straight into serving the Empire. Most of the changes the Empire made have been good ones. Before the Clone Wars, the Republic had begun to rely solely on Jedi for protection. When the Separatists began their aggression, aside from the Jedi there were few to serve aside from clones. The Jedi were peacekeepers, not military leaders, and that showed on the battlefield.”

“You believe the Jedi were in part responsible for the Clone Wars?” 

“Yes. Had the Republic had a stronger military and a more powerful hold on the galaxy the Separatists would not have had such a chance to rise up, and if they had they wouldn’t have gotten so far.”

“Did you serve with the Jedi?” Thrawn folded his arms.

“Not side-by-side. But I heard plenty.” Faro sighed and leaned against the wall beside him. The Republic was also dismissive of the non-Core worlds. They were technically part of the Republic, but they were left to their own governance for the most part. That’s part of the reason for all the resistance the Empire is facing when it comes to expansion.”

Thrawn nodded. “You believe the Republic had been in decline for a long while?”

Faro snorted. “The corruption and bureaucracy we complain of now were already rampant before the Clone Wars began. Favoritism, bribery, racism, sexism all of it.”

“Elaborate,” Thrawn said. She had started to get onto the track he desired to discuss.

Faro’s lip turned up in a smile, but a hint of suspicion returned. “What, are you writing a book?”

“I am interested. Is this not what humans do? Ask questions of one another and their backgrounds? You forget that I am fairly new to this part of the galaxy and am still learning.”

“Hmmm, so you say. You’ve never shown that much interest before.”

“Eli has told me I need to cultivate more friendships,” Thrawn said.

She seemed to accept that and relaxed as she told her story. “My father encouraged me to enlist in the Academy. There were other women enlistees, of course, but the way we were treated compared to the men was laughable. We were expected to meet standards the men didn’t have, such as keeping our uniforms more neatly pressed, waking up earlier, taking on more work. They said they were preparing us for the reality of the navy.” 

“Yes, I am familiar with that kind of treatment,” Thrawn said, remembering those three hard months at the Royal Imperial Academy.

“Eli said you two were really put through the ringer.”

“Ringer?”

She smiled, “Given a lot of trouble.”

“Yes, we were. It had nothing to do with preparing us. They hoped we would leave.”

“That’s right!” Faro said, pointing a finger at him. “So all that along with men pushing themselves on me all the time. When I said I wasn’t interested, they said I was a lesbian.”

“That is an additional discomfort to endure.”

“More than a discomfort sometimes, but I got through it. Anyway, that’s why it’s good to serve with you, sir: you understand. Why do you think there are so many women and Outer-Rimers who apply for commission on your ships?”

Thrawn raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Is there a higher percentage?”

Faro laughed out loud. “Yes, sir. The fact you didn’t notice must say something about the military on your home planet.”

Thrawn pondered that. In the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force, male and female Chiss from all families and planets in the system served side by side. He noted the distinct segregations and exclusions when he arrived in this part of the galaxy and began to serve in the Imperial Navy, but he had not seen the pattern Faro had. “Well observed. What other corruptions do you see?” Thrawn said, steering back to his preferred topic once more.

Faro pursed her lips. “I’m still speaking freely?”

Thrawn nodded, and she continued.

As Faro spoke, her tone’s intensity increased. “The Empire’s idea of occupying planets instead of attempting some kind of agreement with the people, the inefficient and widespread attacks on civilian populations, the slavery…And then talking about leadership, ha! It seems the only people who get anywhere are the ones who’ll kiss up to High Command--honestly sir, your situation is unprecedented. You know that most of the Admirals are spit adders.”

Thrawn smiled. “That is an apt comparison.” He moved from the wall to face Faro. “It appears that we agree in most ways, Captain. I assumed that to be the case, but I am pleased we had a chance to discuss.

“Me too, sir, and I’m glad to hear we agree, but what else--”

Thrawn’s comm buzzed, and a woman’s voice came through. “Grand Admiral, the captives have been treated, and the commanders have been sent to interrogation rooms. 

“Thank you,” Thrawn said into the comm. “I am on my way.” He then turned to Faro again. “My apologies. I now must go to the medical facility to begin my questioning of the prisoners.”

Faro shook her head. “That can’t wait until morning?”

“My questions for them are urgent,” Thrawn said as he gave her a nod and walked out onto the base. He had hoped Karyn Faro would be a good addition to his cause, and his conversation with her had all but confirmed it. Now all that remained was convincing her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The song included in this chapter is a modified version of "It Was an Edelweiss" written by Herms Niel for the German Army in 1941.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos!

Chapter

It was nearly 2400 when Thrawn walked the quarter mile from the canteen to the Derra Base Emergency Facility. Between the two locations were a few barracks and offices and a scattering of people, but in general the place had the air of what Vanto would call a “ghost town.” Some buildings were in a state of disrepair and all around grasses and bushes were overgrown.

“Sub Lieutenant Gibbs,” Thrawn said into his comm as he neared his destination. 

“Yes, Grand Admiral, sir,” answered a youthful voice. 

“Bring that report to the interrogation room in fifteen minutes. Remember to do exactly as I directed,” Thrawn said.

“Yessir.”

Thrawn entered the Emergency Facility greeted by a wall of stormtroopers from the Chimaera’s complement. 

“I will take you to the interrogation room, sir.” Lieutenant Commander Stavemore said, voice made mechanical through his helmet speaker, but that familiar Wild Space twang was still recognizable.

“Thank you,” Thrawn said. He remembered Stavemore and his squad specifically as they were a recent and distinguished transfer from the 2391st Battle Squadron.

At the time, he had thought nothing of it, but now that Faro brought his attention to the matter he remembered that they had all actually been trained at Myomar--the same Academy at which Vanto had begun his training. It had not been a coincidence that Stavemore had requested this ship.

They reached the room quickly as the facility was small, and Stavemore departed with a nod. More troopers the door. Thrawn knew that the Rebels, Commander Galdeena and Captain Toorgen, would be the ones in the room, and he knew they would be restrained. He did not yet know precisely how his plan would be perceived, and the weight of that uncertainty was a heavy stone in his stomach.

He opened the door and the two troopers followed him inside. The rebel’s voices went silent the second he entered. Galdeena was a deep purple Twi’lek and Toorgen a dark-skinned human. They both were cuffed in a sitting position to a table and glared at Thrawn as though he were a monster.

“Good evening,” Thrawn said. “Troopers, remove their restraints.”

The troopers moved without question and the captives stared, bewildered. As soon as their restraints were removed, they stood, taking defensive postures. Thrawn raised a hand to the troopers asking them to withdraw to the edge of the room.

“Please, be seated once more,” Thrawn said, taking a chair near the metal table in the center of the room and proffering two other chairs. “I wish to speak with you.”

Toorgen scoffed, staying as far away as possible. “You think we’ll talk to you after what you’ve done?”

“Spared your lives and the lives of your crew?” Thrawn retorted. 

That silenced him for a moment but he did not draw nearer. Thrawn took advantage of the quiet. “It was not an accident that you were all captured. I meant to spare as many of you as possible. The Interceptor acted against orders when it attacked.”

Galdenna stepped forward, anger rising in her tone. “How dare you attempt to speak to us as equals. We would rather die than serve the Empire. We will fight you tooth and nail in this very room.”

“I hope it does not come to that,” Thrawn said. “Let me explain why you are here. I intend to draw information from you that will assist the Empire in its destruction of the Rebel cells. I also intend to pass information on to Lord Vader that will aid in his missions.”

Both Rebel leaders faces hardened, their lips set in defiant grimaces. 

“Troopers, privacy please.” 

The troopers seemed reluctant to leave, but they nonetheless marched from the room and sealed the door. Thrawn heard them take positions outside the door once more. 

“What are you playing at?” Toorgen hissed, moving closer. 

“Strategy, Captain,” Thrawn said, lacing his fingers and placing them on his crossed knee. “You see, we could continue blowing each other up until both our fleets are destroyed and millions of lives are lost, or we could attempt some kind of arrangement that will allow there to be some galaxy left at the end of all this. I see the trends. I see that more rebels are joining your side all the time, and the tighter the Empire squeezes its fist, the more people slip between its fingers.”

“Go on,” Galdeena said, and Thrawn was pleased to note her raised eyebrow.

“I am interested in a strategy that would help curtail the loss of life on both sides.”

Commander Galdeena gave a wide and incredulous smile. “You take us for fools? You have no incentive to keep us or any of our allies alive.”

“The reasons I gave are the only ones that matter. You do a disservice to the galaxy by murdering its protectors.” Thrawn touched his own chest. “The Empire does a disservice by killing people such as you instead of focusing on marauders and pirates.”

“Protector! We’ve heard a good deal about you,” Toorgen hissed, “and you certainly aren’t protecting anyone. The obliteration of the Cyphar farmlands, the massacre at Batonn’s Creekpath Mining and--”

Galdeena made a motion to cut off her compatriot. “We have reason to doubt you.”

“Your view is simply too narrow,” Thrawn said, unrattled. “My goal is the same as yours: a better galaxy, peace, prosperity. There are some,” Thrawn scoffed, “such as Admiral Conrad of the Eighteenth Fleet or High Admiral Mulleen who are more deserving of your ire.”

“Right.” Toorgen said, folding his arms. 

At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Sub Lieutenant Gibbs rushed in, delivering his speech in a flurry of words. 

“Sir, the task force headed to Dantooine is in need of more assistance.They’ve encountered an asteroid field that has--”

“Silence.” Thrawn’s voice cut the air like a knife, and he stood. He noted before turning to face Gibbs that the captives’ faces momentarily grew gaunt. 

“Sub Lieutenant, you are dismissed,” Thrawn growled. Then he regained control of his tone. “I will speak with you momentarily. Wait outside.”

Gibbs backed out of the room as though in fear of his life.

Thrawn turned to the captives again seeing that they had settled their faces. “I apologize for that interruption. Where were we?”

Toorgen and Galdeena exchanged a glance. “Peace and prosperity,” Toorgen said, voice heavy with sarcasm. 

“Yes,” Thrawn said, taking a seat once more. “On that note, perhaps there is some information you would like to share with me?”

Galdeena came forward and stood behind the metal chair across from Thrawn. “We will share nothing.”

“Then you will stay at this location for an indeterminate time; however, be forewarned that this base is low on resources and far off the Empire’s radar. That could certainly be a problem for you as I doubt the soldiers here will prioritize your survival if they run low on food or water.”

“Far off the Empire’s rader?” Toorgen asked, feigning a casual interest.

“Yes,” Thrawn drawled. “An area like this is hardly of interest. This system had been part of a mining colony at one time, but all the Lucryte was gone years ago.” He leaned forward. “I would like for our negotiations to continue harmoniously; please do not force my hand.”

“Allow us to consult with our crews,” Galdeena said. Can you give us that time?”

“Most certainly.” Thrawn answered. “I will return to this facility at 1100 hours to what I hope is an illuminating meeting. You will be returned to the holding cells until then.”

“Thank you, Grand Admiral,” Toorgen spat. 

Thrawn ignored the slight and stood with a ghost of a smile. “Good evening to you both.”

When he exited the room, Thrawn said to the troopers outside, “Escort the prisoners back to the holding cells.”

The troopers gave quick affirmatives and returned to the interrogation room. Thrawn turned to Gibbs who stood at quavering attention further down the hallway, his breath uneven and brows furrowed. 

“Well done,” Thrawn said.

The sub lieutenant jumped and turned. “Oh! I thought you were angry? Sir, you told me to deliver the briefing and--”

Thrawn touched his shoulder lightly. “Come with me outside.”

Once well away from the building, Thrawn turned to Gibbs again. “You did exactly as you were told. I apologize for startling you, but my reaction was feigned. You have no need to fear me, Sub Lieutenant, as long as you follow orders.”

Beads of sweat oozed down Gibbs face, but he nodded with a pseudo smile. “Thank you, sir. I… may I speak freely?”

“Yes of course,” Thrawn said, leading the way back to the canteen.

“I used to serve on board Lord Vader’s flagship, the Executor, sir. I’m still growing accustomed to the more… democratic processes in the Seventh.”

Thrawn nodded. “We shall have to meet and discuss your experiences. I appreciate learning more about my colleagues and their methods. You’re dismissed, Sub Lieutenant.”

With a click of his heels, Gibbs departed. Intriguing, Thrawn thought, what better way to learn more about Vader and his schemes?

When the lights from the canteen shone in Thrawn’s eyes and the jubilant sounds drifted to his ears, he stopped. He had lost his taste for socializing and decided it would be best to return to the Chimaera to see if any transmissions had been sent regarding Gunnel’s court martial. 

Making a sharp right from the canteen, he headed to the dimly lit landing pad for the shuttles and found a circle of pilots drinking and talking around a flickering fire.

Ensign Malori Pancel was speaking as Thrawn approached, her loud clear voice easily carrying across the night. “You see, what we’ve got to do is increase the shielding on the TIEs. Those rebels will always have an edge when it comes to a dogfight ‘cause our fighters blow up like flying wads of thermite.”

Another of the shuttle pilots answered, “Oh yeah, but you’ll never see that happening! Shielding is expensive and pilots are cheap-- Oh, good evening, Grand Admiral.”

“Good evening. I agree with you, Ensign. More suitable shielding for the TIEs would be of great value. I find that such a lack limits the squads when deployed against the A or X wing classes, and I do not view my pilots as expendable; without good pilots, starfighters are useless. Prepare a report for me regarding this and I will forward it to the proper channels.”

Pancel stood, eyes wide. “Excuse me, sir?”

There were a few mutterings among the gathered pilots.

“Also, I require a shuttle back to the Chimaera,” Thrawn said directly to Pancel.

“Right away,” she said, partly tripping over a tuft of grass as she moved to her shuttle. “Let me just make a few checks and we’ll be on our way.”

On board, Thrawn settled in for the short flight, and momentarily, he heard the doors shut and the engine fire as Pancel took her position in the front seat.

Thrawn thought back to his meeting with the Rebels. He hoped the Rebel commanders would take the bait, and High Command would act as expected. He felt that over the years he had gained a clear insight on both group’s processes, but if he had misjudged the situation things could end disastrously. Such it was with games of chance: one plans his moves based on the intentions of others and the standards of play. Of course, not everyone could be predicted and some disregarded the rules. These variables, too, had to be taken into account, and he hoped he had calculated correctly.

When they landed in the docking bay of the Chimaera, Pancel all but cornered Thrawn as he disembarked. “Were you serious back there, sir? You want me to submit a report on the TIEs?”

“Yes. You mentioned shielding, but if there are any other areas you feel are in need of improvement please include those as well. My thoughts have been on improving the TIEs as well, and perhaps with our ideas united we can put a plan in action. Good evening.” Thrawn began to walk away, but Pancel followed him.

“Sir, you know it’s my desire to be a star-fighter pilot.”

“Is that so? You have been trained as such?”

“Not exactly. Not formally, anyway. I applied to the academies, but was denied. I’m from the Outer Rim, and, you know, people aren’t so accepting.”

“Indeed. Perhaps you can gain more informal training here. Unfortunately, I hold no sway at any of the Imperial academies, but I could write you a reference if you believe that would help.” 

“Thank you, sir. That might help.”

“What was that you were all drinking on Derra? The odor was distinctive.”

Pancel seemed jarred by the sudden change in topics. “That was some Corellian whiskey brewed… well, in the engineering levels of the Ajax. They’ve got a still down there.” Her voice tensed and her face twisted to a slight wince. 

“Fascinating,” Thrawn said, and saw her face relax. “I should like to see it. No doubt it is ingeniously designed. I suppose Commodore Marinith knows of it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m sure he enjoys it when off-duty.”

Pancel gave a barking laugh, all worry draining from her. “Yes, sir. He does! You know Grand Admiral, you’re all right,” she said, as though that was the highest praise. Then with a quick salute, she returned to her shuttle. 

A whiskey still in the engineering decks of the Ajax? Thrawn decided he needed to make sure he made more routine checks of all sections of the Chimaera. 

________________________________

The crowd in the canteen had begun to thin and Eli and Qura Yve sat close together at a booth against the wall. 

“That’s the main problem, though,” Yve continued. “The lingering members and supporters of the Trade Federation continue to act as though they’ve got some influence in the Senate.”

“The Senate still acts as though they’ve got some influence in the galaxy,” Eli countered with a chuckle. 

“It’s all a bit of a mess, isn’t it?” Yve said with a sigh. “I hope we can bring order.”

Eli thought of the swirling world of grey he’d been immersed in since he’d started “Operation Thrawn” over a month ago. Eli used to think that the Senate was full of old representatives who were on their way to being phased out in favor of Imperial leadership.The depth of the actual corruption had startled him. He had looked into how Arihnda Pryce gained the governorship of Lothal and was surprised that it was all political backscratchery. So it had been with that human governor of Duro and most of the current “leadership” on all planets. People were given ruling titles as rewards for duties to the Empire and nothing more, sometimes at the expense of the planet, its people, and its economy. This was one of the many things Eli hoped they could put a stop to before its harmful effects reached Lysatra.

“Yeah, I hope we can bring order to things too,” He said, venturing to put an arm around Yve’s shoulders, partly to soothe his own fears.

When Yve leaned against him, Eli tried not to make a celebratory sound. “But hey, what’s important is that we’re doing our best. No matter the mess the rest of the galaxy is in. We can’t tackle everything at once: one step at a time.”

Yve’s deep brown eyes met his. “I agree, and I think things are going just fine in our little corner of the galaxy.”

Eli swallowed, breathless. “Me too.”


	6. Chapter 6

Saria Galdeena and Faril Toorgen, binders on, followed the stormtroopers down a hallway of the emergency facility. Then, they walked out a back door and into the chirping of wildlife and an endless night sky. The Star Destroyers hung in low orbit making ominous triangles of darkness in an otherwise star-strewn sky. 

It was a fairly short walk to a low building that clearly had higher security than the med facility. It looked more like a blast shelter than holding cells. Solid as a rock and windowless, it certainly did work well as a jail. Stormtroopers surrounded it in what Gladeena thought was an overprotective formation. It looked like they were equally focused on keeping people out and in. 

One of them by the front door opened it and the trooper escorting them stepped to the side. “In you go,” he said. 

The place had many cells side by side with low thick walls and ray shields up to the ceiling. That meant that as soon as they were inside they were able to see almost all of their crewmembers. Galdeena held out a held breath as the crews burst out in quiet whoops and sounds of relief as she and Toorgen entered and were escorted to a cell.

“Quiet down!” One of the troopers said. “The Grand Admiral says we’re to wait outside to let you deliberate with your crews. No funny business.”

The trooper slammed shut the main door and the cell block burst into discussion. 

Galdeena looked around for any sign of surveillance systems. It seemed that, like the med facility, this building was outdated and fairly low tech. 

“Quiet!” Galdeena said. She then continued quietly. “We have important information to convey. We need to make sure they can’t hear us.” 

A man in the cell next to her came forward. It was Derrike, the human comm operator on the True Shot. “I’ve been looking the place over. Me and some of the other electricians, and it seems like this place is really stripped down. This place was never meant to be a prison and it looks like all it’s got are these ray-shields. We got lucky.”

“We also shouted out some loud insults and threats to the Empire, and no one came in to quiet us down.” Said one of the X-wing pilots. 

“Good enough for me,” Toorgen said. “Alright everyone!” He called, standing on a piece of debris in his and Galdeena’s cell to better see the faces before him.

It stabbed Galdeena in the heart to see how few people in their crews were still alive, but it wasn’t the time for sadness. 

“The Grand Admiral thinks he’s playing us,” Toorgen continued. “Said they didn’t mean to attack us with a Star Destroyer. Also said he wants to get some information from us tomorrow. But they let slip something very important that we’ve got to get transmitted right away: There’s a fleet headed to Corellia. We gotta warn the folks there.”

“How do you know it wasn’t a trap?” Jeniya, one of the x-wing pilots called from several rows away.

“Someone came in with the information,” Toorgen said, “and Grand Addy looked about ready to bite the guy’s head off.”

“Of course it could still be a trap,” Galdeena said, “But, if all we do is alert Corellia about it, nothing will have been lost. They will merely be on high-alert for awhile and that could never hurt.”

There were mutterings of agreement through the crowd.

Has’lean, a tall golden female Bothan, moved closer to the cell wall. “Then it sounds like what we need is to get out of here and into a transmission tower. This place is all-but deserted aside from the Seventh Fleet squads. Shouldn’t be hard to get past them once if we get a small team out of here.”

Toorgen scoffed. “Got a plan?”

“Yes,” Has’lean said, fur rippling. She pulled from her pocket a small flat device. “I have a disruptor disk.”

Several members of her cell stumbled away from Has’lean and one gave a shout of alarm.

Galdeena stepped forward. “How do you have that? You know how dangerous those things are!”

“That’s why I’ve got one,” Has’lean retorted serenely. “Smack this into the stream of the shield and it’ll go down as long as we need.”

Toorgen and Galdena met eyes, considering. They were limited in who they could take, Galdeena thought. Only Has’lean’s cell shield and one of the two beside it could be taken out by placing the disruptor in the corner. Has’lean, as a skilled hand-to-hand combatant from the True Shot (and obviously someone with a bit more up her sleeve than Galdeena thought), should come, but they needed someone with a little more training in comms and transmissions.

“I’ll lead this expedition.” Galdeena said. “Has’lean, you’ll come with me, and Derrike, you too.” Gladeena trusted him with anything related to computers. 

“Right, Commander,” He said, coming toward the front of the cell.

“The rest of us,” Toorgen said, “Our job is to come up with some lies to tell the Grand Addy when we meet with him tomorrow. Gotta make sure it’s good stuff.”

The crews bustled and talked among themselves as Has’lean took a few moments to activate and arm the disruptor. 

Galdeena squeezed Toorgen’s shoulder. “What’s going to happen to our crews, Toorgen? The Empire doesn’t take prisoners. I imagine they’ll threaten us all with death tomorrow no matter what we tell the Grand Admiral.”

“If we get word out to our people on Corellia,” Toorgen said, “It’ll all be worth it. That base is the future of the rebellion, I’ve got a feeling.”

“I don’t think we should stick around for questioning. I think we should all try and get out of here tonight,” Galdeena said.

Toorgen’s jaw tensed and released several times. “We’ll talk when you get back from sending that message.”

Then there was a fizzling sound and the ray-sheilding went down on three panels. 

“Let’s go,” Galdeena said, nodding to her crew. For what good it would do, the headed for the back door. The blast shelter theory seemed even more likely as the door’s heavy bolt lock was on the inside. 

Feline body flexing with the weight, Has’lean carefully slid back the lock. They listened carefully for any sounds of the guards, but they heard nothing but the song of the crickets outside. Galdeena mouthed a count of three and then Has’lean slowly pushed the door open just a crack. In that small opening they saw the white and black of a stormtrooper uniform and all held their breath. 

Pushing the door shut again, Has’lean cursed quietly in Bothan. “I didn’t think they’d be everywhere like this. How can we get rid of them quietly. If only they hadn’t taken my weapons.”

“Just wait a second,” Derrike said, lips twitching in thought. “What if we throw something and then they’ll go investigate?”

“What holonet trash did you pick that up from?” Has’lean sniped. 

Galdeena glared. “I don’t know that we’ve got any better options.” She picked up a hand-sized rock and motioned for Has’lean to open the door again. If this didn’t work, she really didn’t have any more ideas. 

As the door opened, voices trickled in.    


“...so, I’ll be right back.”

“Right, we’ll go check the east side.” 

Footsteps from about ten people moved off.

Looks like they got extremely lucky. Galdeena stuck her head out the door and look around. In the dim light, she saw no one, but she did hear footsteps drawing closer from the front of the building. 

“Come on,” she whispered, and she, Derrike, and Has’lean darted into some nearby tree cover, Has’lean closing the door behind them. 

* * *

 

Eli and Yve strolled out of the canteen along with the last of the stragglers. It was close to 1400 and they would need some sleep tonight before the voyage back to Coruscant.  He was not, however, ready for this night to end. 

They walked along a path near the treeline, listening to the night birds and frogs. To their right was a dark forest and to their left were other officers walking through the thick lawn to the distant shuttles. Though he did enjoy the wildlife, he couldn’t help but think the ill-lit base looked more than a little eerie. 

He smirked, “You know, this place is haunted.”

Yve gave him a skeptical look.

“Really! It is. Why do you think there’s hardly anyone stationed here. When they were mining here they awakened…something.” On his last word he reached around behind her and grabbed her side.

She let out a yelp and then smacked him in the chest, laughing. “Oh! I knew that was you!” 

“Why’d you scream like that, then?”

“You like ghost stories?” She said, trying to regain some composure. 

Eli chuckled. “Sure, heard a lot of them growing up.”

“Wild Space, right? Must have been exciting.”

“Met bunches of interesting people, that’s for sure. Where’re you from?”

“Alderaan.”

“Gorgeous place, I hear.”

“It is! My family lives in the mountains, near the capitol. Mom’s an engineer and Dad teaches at the University. Haven’t gotten back to visit in a few years, but looking forward to it one day.”

“My parents own a shipping company on Lysatra.”

Yve snorted, “That’s why you like numbers so much, huh?”

“Part of it for sure--”

They both grew silent as they heard a strange rustling coming from the forest. Yve and Eli drew their blasters and took attack formation. 

“What was --” Yve began, but she was cut off when a squad of soldiers from the base rushed up to them from the other side, startled she pointed her blaster at them.

“Stand down you two!” General Lucian said. Eli recognized him as the head of the base. They’d had to sign a lot of documents in his office when they arrived. “We’ll have to ask you and all your crews to go back to your ships immediately.”

Eli lowered his blaster, but Yve continued to look at the forest with hers raised. “What happened?” he asked.

“We’ve been breached.”

“By who?”

“ _What_ is a better question. Nexu.” The general said. Yve jumped.

“What the hell is a Nexu?” Eli said. 

“Get one of your compatriots to explain on your way to the shuttles. We know how to handle them around here, and we don’t need any navy personnel in the way--of harm.” With that, Lucian turned away and began to direct his men. 

“We heard something in the woods,” Yve said. “Might want to check over there first.”

The base troops fanned out in that direction.   
“Go,” the general said again.

There didn’t seem to be much room for argument, so Eli began to head to the shuttles.

“They’re fearsome, and often trained as attack animals,” Yve said. “If some are loose here, it could be very dangerous.”

The quiet was split with a distant deep growl that turned Eli’s blood to ice. Drawing his blaster, he picked up the pace. He tapped his commlink into live and broadcast on all local Imperial frequencies. “ISD crews, return to the shuttles immediately, or seek shelter in a secure location.”

They were nearing the shuttles, and they could see up ahead that several people had already boarded, then there was a sudden choking scream behind them. Eli knew he should run for the shuttles, but he couldn’t help turning around. 

There were four of the beasts. With huge whipping tails, rows of teeth, and huge claws, they were killing machines, and they had a victim surrounded. Eli could barely make out a slightly moving human shape in the grass. The base soldiers were far away and the man on the ground could still be alive.

“Get to the shuttles,” Eli said to Yve and then started off toward the wounded man. 

“Get to the shuttles, yourself,” she said, keeping pace with him. “I know I’ve got better aim than you do!” To prove it, she fired her blaster at the Nexu, hitting one in the back and making it shriek. 

They now were within ten paces of the creatures and Eli realized he didn’t really have a plan. The man on the ground had no chance. His whole upper body was awash with blood.

Up close the Nexu were even more horrifying: several bright red eyes blazed and their thick bristled fur itself seemed dangerous to touch. His heart slammed into his ribs as he raised his blaster and fired at the beasts along with Yve. The blasts seemed to aggravate the Nexu more than hurt them, but it was enough to drive them away, at least for a minute. As Eli kept shooting at the creatures, Yve directed her blaster at the man on the ground and fired a few shots into his chest.

Eli jumped at her blasts, “What the hell!”   
“Wanted to make sure he was dead. Poor bastard,” Yve said. 

Eli looked down at the fallen soldier, but Yve grabbed his hand and yanked him toward the shuttles. “Come on!” she yelled. 

The raced off, hearing the sounds of thundering paws behind them.

 

* * *

As blaster fire, growls, and screams filled the air, Galdeena counted her blessings. They couldn’t have asked for a better distraction. Though she did wonder what under the stars was happening that got the Imperials in such a frightened uproar, and she hoped whatever it was stayed far away. 

The transmitter station was right ahead of them, the receiving antenna looming like a giant needle against the sky. They reached the communication room at the base of the tower without incident and pulled the metal door open. One Imperial officer was inside.

He stood, hands up, terrified, but his focus was over Galdeena’s shoulder. Has’lean’s ears suddenly perked up; the Bothan grabbed Galdeena around the waist and tossed her and Derrike inside before slamming the door shut again. She pressed herself against the metal just in time as a crash slammed against the door; whatever had been attacking the Imperials had found them too. 

“What’s out there?” Galdeena called to the comm officer who was busying himself with trying to move a metal cabinet in front of the small window in the room. “Help him,” she said to Has’lean.

“They’re called Nexu,” the operator said with a grunt of exertion. “They’ve been a constant problem on this base, but we haven’t seen any in several months. Until now.”

As the officer spoke, Derrike sat down at the comm console. 

“Get away from there!” The officer shouted, moving toward him. 

Has’lean grabbed his jacket, flashing her teeth. “Not so fast. We’ve got an important transmission to send.”

The man decided not to argue. 

After making several adjustments to the equipment, Derrike began to speak in Mon Calimarian.

“What’s he saying?” the Imperial asked, some of his confidence coming back. “I tell you that you will be in serious trouble when I contact the--”

The window shattered, and glass spiked through at them. The cabinet they’d moved over began to rock as a huge clawed paw scratched at it. 

“Better hurry up with that, Derrike.” Galdeena said, looking around for another exit. The room, though small, had a high ceiling. There were no windows besides the one they had blocked. Finally she spotted a way out: about 12 feet above in the ceiling them was a small hatch that presumably led up to the transmission tower. 

“Done,” Derrike said, springing up from the station. “Let’s get outta here!”

The banging at the window was getting worse and snarls surrounded them. Standing on the desk, Galdeena reached up to turn the rusty hatch door. She tugged it several times, but it wouldn’t budge. Derrike got up beside her to help while Has’lean kept an eye on the Imperial. Finally with a squeal it opened, and Derrike gave Galdenna a boost.

She hoisted herself out of the hatch and onto the roof of the transmission building. The Nexu swarmed below. There were four around them, but more spread out on the base in clumps of two to five. She reached a hand down to Derrike and he climbed through.Then she looked down to check on Has’lean.

She kept her eyes on the Imperial but his eyes were also peeled on her ready to fight.

“We don’t have time for this!” Galdeena said, “Has’lean, get him over here first.”

His blue eyes went wide as Has’lean stepped aside. The officer scurried onto the desk as Has’lean held the rattling cabinet in place against the window.

Galdeena grabbed his wrists and pulled him up, then turned back to Has’lean. “Come on!”

The Bothan leapt to the desk with feline grace and jumped to take hold of her hand. Finally the whole odd group was on the roof, and just in time. The cabinet fell in with a crash and one of the Nexu scrambled through the jagged window. 

Galdeena stood with her team on one side of the roof as they all looked at the Imperial.

The fight went out of him in a puff. “You saved my life.”

Now that the situation was no longer dire, Galdeena looked over the comm officer. His blue eyes were matched with bright blond hair and pale skin. He clearly spent most of his time in an office. There was no trace of hatred in his eyes, nor the suspicion that had been there earlier.

“We wouldn’t let you die, though it was partly to make sure you didn’t try anything,” Has’lean said. “You all might have no respect for life, but we sure have.”

“What’s your name?” Galdeena asked.

“Major Reynolds.” He had a Coruscanti accent, which meant he really must have been in hell all the way out here.

“Commander Galdeena.”

Then an explosion much louder than blasters shook the base and red laserfire shot down from above. A TIE fighter shot by overhead, much lower than seemed possible, and it was targeting the Nexu. 

Galdeena and her team dropped down and so did Reynolds as four TIEs swarmed over the base routing the monsters. It didn’t take much of that treatment to send the surviving creatures back the way they came.

“We’ve got to get back to the prison,” Has’lean shouted above the din. “You’d better not tell a soul!” She said, pointing at the Reynolds. 

“I won’t,” He said. “I suppose I’m in your debt.

“I suppose you’re right,” Galdeena said. “Want to pay us back? Meet us at the cells where they’re holding us and bring some blasters. We’re getting out of here, and if those Nexu come back we need a way to defend ourselves.”

Reynolds stared at her, mouth agape. “You can’t be serious.”

“It was worth a try, but we are getting out of here.”

“And I won’t stop you or tell anyone,” he said. “We’re even.”

“Fair enough. Let’s go!” 

The three rebels jumped down and ran back to their cells before they were spotted.

Thankfully, the base was still a mess, so no one noticed them as they skirted around the edges. 

“Toorgen!” Galdeena shouted. “We’ve gotta get out of here.”

Everyone in the building was asking “what happened?” and “what was out there?,” but there just wasn’t time.

“Derrike, fry that panel, get all the shields down. No one’s going to check on us any time soon,” Galdeena said. “We should be able to scrounge some weapons from the dead. Hopefully there’ll be a ship we can snag.”

When the shields went down, the crews flew into action. 

“We’ve got to find a ship or two,” Toorgen said. “If things are as mad out there as you seem to say, shouldn’t be a problem. What did happen?”

“We’ll tell you on our way off this rock,” Has’lean said. “Believe me when I saw don’t want to stick around. I saw a few shuttles with no one around.”

“Everyone just keep a wary eye as we go, ok. There’s more out there than just Imperials,” Galdeena said, pushing open the door and hoping all the Nexu had been chased away.

* * *

 

One squadron of Stormtroopers, twelve of Derra base’s ground troops, and three bridge crew from the Diligence who got caught out in the open were dead from the Nexu attack. Eli stood on the bridge of the _ Chimaera  _ looking down at the green planet below.

If Thrawn hadn’t been on board the  _ Chimaera _ with his office channel open at 1400 like a weirdo, the TIEs wouldn’t have gotten there as soon as they had, and there would have been even more casualties. So much for General Lucian keeping the Navy out of the way.

Eli heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Thrawn. 

“Can’t sleep?” Eli asked.

“I was prepared to ask you the same question.” Thrawn said coming up beside him.

“I thought so. That’s why I said it first. Why were you listening to the channels at 1400 hours? Do you ever sleep?”

“Need I remind you that you were also awake.”

“In a bar, you know, having fun?” Eli retorted with a laugh. “Not just sitting alone in a dark room thinking about art.”

Thrawn smiled lightly. “I was waiting to hear the Rebel transmission. I was not disappointed.”

“What Rebel transmission?” In a burst of fear, Eli worried about someone hearing what they said, but no, they had been careful to distort all the  _ Chimaera’s _ surveillance equipment, and at 1600 hours, there was no one on the main bridge either. 

“I saw to it that the captives received some important information about one of their bases--something urgent.” Thrawn said. “They shared it from the transmission tower. The incident with the Nexu certainly gave them some cover.”

Eli took a step back. He decided he wouldn’t even touch his sudden suspicion that Thrawn had something to do with the Nexu. “You told them about Admiral Conrad’s fleet heading to Corellia, didn’t you?”

Thrawn nodded.

“That’s a big deal. Doesn’t High Command expect to find a major Rebel cell there?”

“Indeed they do. That is why I had to make sure Conrad was stopped. Remember what side we’re on.” Thrawn clasped his hands behind his back, glowing eyes reflected in the bridge’s viewport as his gaze tracked lazily along the planet’s surface. 

“I didn’t think we were on the Rebel’s side!” Eli’s voice started to crescendo in the empty room. How could Thrawn look so calm? “I mean, I know that you don’t want to kill them but--”

“Eli--”

“No! You can’t keep trading our men for theirs.” Eli lowered his voice to a hiss. “That’s not how this works! Conrad’s mission to Corellia is meant to be covert, and his ships aren’t going to have the kind of support needed for a full-on assault. If the Rebels know they’re coming, they’ll blow them out of the sky! Conrad is a pile of Bantha shit, but his crew isn’t. It’s not their fault that they’re headed to Corellia.” Eli released a few huffs after his outburst, and glowered at Thrawn who hadn’t changed position. 

“There will always be death in battle.”

Eli rolled his eyes, plopping his hands on his hips.

“We know how Conrad operates,” Thrawn explained. “and if he were allowed to take that base by surprise he would have destroyed it and everyone on it. Perhaps the Rebels will be more merciful with him.”

“You just don’t get it,” Eli growled.

“No.” Thrawn said, a hint of irritation creeping in and building, “It is you who do not ‘get it.’ It is important for this war--for that is what it has become-- to be fought as swiftly as possible. That is the only way to reduce the loss of life. Any decision I make is based upon ending this conflict.”

Eli met Thrawn’s glare and held it, willing his eyes to bore into souls like Thrawn’s did.  

Finally Eli broke the contact and turned to go. “You’d better be right,” he said. “Because otherwise you’ll have a lot of blood on your hands.”

Eli walked away, hearing nothing but the click of his shoes on the polished metal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support and comments!


	7. Chapter 7

Colonel Wullf Yularen strode down the hallway of the Imperial Security Bureau. He pondered the information on the data card he’d found pushed beneath his door this morning. The card contained lurid photographs of a mostly private Moff. He was almost certain the images were forged, but he wondered who had given it to him. He’d received so many anonymous tips that it was only an especially dangerous one he’d follow up on. People are becoming more desperate, he thought. Eager to bring down their fellows by hook or by crook. 

He was so deep in thought, he didn’t see Governor Pryce until she spoke to him. “Good Afternoon, Colonel.” She said.

“Oh,” he said, hiding his distaste. “I thought you had returned to Lothal?” In addition to staying on Coruscant for a week after the promotions following Batonn, she had recently returned for a regional meeting. 

“Still here. Wrapping up a few errands. You know, the insurgent activity is becoming unbearable on Lothal. It’s another reason to be far from there. Where is my Seventh Fleet?” she asked, a lilt in her tone. 

Yularen continued to walk. “I’m not a Navy officer, as you know. I have no knowledge of their whereabouts.”

“But you and the Grand Admiral are chummy. He’s been chilly with me lately.”

Her levity unsettled him. What was she planning? Yularen didn’t fault Thrawn for staying away from Lothal, he too would stay far from this woman if he had a ship to fly away on. 

“Did you find the information I gave you?”

“Those photographs were from you?” Yularen couldn't hide his disgust.

“I didn’t take them, but they were brought to my attention. I thought it was good for you to know what some of the Moffs get up to. Disgusting.” 

“Unless it is a matter of Imperial security, whatever anyone in this galaxy does in their own bedroom is none of my business,” Yularen insisted, turning out into the courtyard that united the many governmental buildings. The sun, slanting down at a steep angle, blinded him for a moment.

The governor shrugged. “You would know better than I, of course,” she said in a tone which clearly stated the opposite. “Good afternoon, Colonel.” She then turned to walk toward the dining district.  

As much as he hated to admit it, Pryce had made him question. It was obvious Governor Pryce had a hand in replacing Admiral Sartan with Thrawn, and Yularen could only assume that was why High Command ordered the Seventh Fleet to Lothal. She had hoped Thrawn would be a puppet, but now she was upset to find herself mistaken. All the same, it was unlike Thrawn to ignore duties.

Yularen recalled Thrawn’s clandestine meeting with Nightswan on the eve of the Creekpath Mining massacre. He pushed suspicion from his mind. The Grand Admiral was indeed loyal to the Empire. That simply meant there must be something more important pulling his focus. When it came to Thrawn, however, what that was would be nearly impossible to guess.   
  


Thrawn had sent the transmission at promptly 1100 hours: “Information attained. Rebels neutralized.”

Now he walked across the base to General Lucian’s office. It, like all the other buildings on the base, was low and unattractive. 

He rapped gently on the door with a knuckle and waited a little longer than he expected for a reply.

“Who is it?” Lucian snapped.

“Grand Admiral Thrawn,” he purred.

“You may enter,” was the humbled reply.

“Good Morning,” Thrawn said, taking a seat at the desk. “May I express my sympathies for the loss of your men.”

“And I for yours,” Lucian said sharply. “As a result I have much to do this morning. To what do I owe this call?”

“I’m sure you’re aware of the prisoner escape?”

Lucian sneered. “Yes, I’m aware  _ your  _ prisoners escaped in the wake of the Nexu attack.”

“Yes, I am certain High Command will absolve you of your involvement in their escape, especially since protocol clearly states that prisoners held on the ground are under the jurisdiction of the highest ranking  _ ground _ commander.” Thrawn folded his legs, placing laced hands on a knee.

The general’s mouth opened and shut two times before he finally said, “Yes, well, of course I share in your defeat, but it is most decidedly yours. You had two squads of stormtroopers guarding those captives.”

“One of which was lost defending your base due to your own lack of security.”

General Lucian’s lips twitched. “Is there something I can assist you with, Grand Admiral?”

“I wished to inform you that High Command ordered the execution of the prisoners. I told them it was done. There is no need them them to know those same prisoners escaped. I suppose I can rely on your discretion?”

He visibly relaxed. “Yes, of course. Less mess to clean up in this affair, after all.”

“Precisely. In turn, I will not report to High Command your gross incompetence which led to a military base getting overrun with wild animals.”

Heat rose in the General’s cheeks. “Indeed. Good day, Grand Admiral.”

Thrawn couldn’t help but notice this man’s tone held barely more respect for Thrawn’s title than the rebels had. “Thank you for your gracious cooperation in my operation. Luckily I had received information from them that evening, so it was not a total loss. My Fleet shall be leaving shortly.”

“Good riddance,” Lucian muttered.

“Pardon me?”

“I said ‘safe travels.’”

“Of course,” Thrawn said with a smile. As he left, he considered it was better to allow the General to think he was duping Thrawn than the other way around.

Captain Faro met Thrawn not far from the door. “Preparations are complete, sir.”

“Perfect, then let us be off. I have no desire to linger here.”

“None of us do, Grand Admiral. I was glad I didn’t see one of those things last night. Apparently they were fearsome. Commander Vanto said he saw one eating somebody.” Faro shook her shoulders in disgust.

Thrawn wrinkled his nose. “Unfortunate.” 

They walked a few more paces toward the shuttles before Thrawn spoke again. “The crews believe that the Rebels are dead?”

“They know that is the official story, yes. I don’t know what they might be thinking, but they know what to say if asked. What are you up to, sir?” Faro gave him a side-eye.

“Nothing that should worry you. Things are going according to plan.”

“I thought so, but you know sometimes…”

“Sometimes you do not fully trust me?”

Faro looked affronted. “I always trust you. I don’t always see the full scope your plans. I’ve gotten better at understanding, but they still sometimes allude me.”

“Your confidence in me is is important, Captain.” Thrawn said, meeting her eyes with a slight smile. “So is your input.” They kept a comfortable eye contact for a moment as they stood near the shuttle.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, breaking the contact as they stepped onto the shuttle and made the short flight up to the  _ Chimaera _ .

Once on board, Thrawn asked Faro to set their course to Coruscant for Commodore Gunnel’s court-martial. How he looked forward to that. The rest of the ISDs in the detachment were headed straight to the repair yards. Most the crews, including that of Gunnel’s  _ Interceptor _ would likely head to other assignments in the Seventh, though some might be grateful for some leave.

In his office, Thrawn looked through his data systems for any new transmissions or information he may have missed. His mind, however, began to wander to his and Eli’s disagreement the night before. Thrawn hadn’t seen him since and wondered what was occupying him. He certainly would not order him to report, for that would likely upset him further. It was likely the best course to wait and see.

His desk comm buzzed with an incoming message and Thrawn pushed the button to open a channel. It was Colonel Yularen.

“Greetings Grand Admiral," his hologram said. 

“Greetings, Colonel. I trust all goes well on Coruscant.”

“If it were anyone else, I would assume that was a joke. It’s a muddle as always.” His face hardened as he shifted tacks, “I wanted to let you know that Governor Pryce is asking questions. She wants to know why the Seventh Fleet isn’t at Lothal.”

“A task unit is at Lothal monitoring the situation.”

Yularen gave an unamused look. “You know well what the governor means.”

“I have other activities occupying the Fleet. Governor Pryce ought to recognize that her system is not the only one accosted by insurgent forces. Christophsis--”

“You needn’t justify your activities to me, Grand Admiral,” the colonel said with a smile in his voice. “You might have to convince her, however.”

“Thank you for your confidence, Colonel, and your warning. I am on my way to Coruscant currently for a court-marshalling.”

Yularen raised his eyebrows. “Whose?”

“Commodore Gunnel, I’m afraid,” Thrawn said with feigned regret. 

“I will endeavor to meet you and we can discuss further.” Colonel Yularen signed off and Thrawn steepled his fingers. 

He pushed a button on his desk and a Stormtrooper came through the door. 

“Please ask Sub Lieutenant Gibbs to report to my office at his convenience.”

When the Trooper left, Thrawn began his research on the planet Ruusan.

Eli exited the court-marshaling in higher spirits than he’d had since they left Derra. Gunnel had been stripped of rank and given a ground position in the Outer Rim. They truly couldn’t have hoped for better. 

Thrawn came through the door a distance behind him and Eli decided he’d wait. Having not spoken to his commanding officer except for a few professional words in the nearly four day trip from Derra, Eli thought it was time to thaw relations.

Thrawn met him and walked beside him silently. It was always so hard to stay mad at someone who knew just how to act after a fight. He gave space, he didn’t try to force anything, didn’t try to defend himself or bring up the argument again. Eli knew Thrawn wouldn’t apologize, and he didn’t expect him to; their disagreement about loss of life was a deeply philosophical one on which neither of them would likely budge. 

“Well done,” Eli said.

“Excuse me?” Thrawn asked with surprise.

They turned down the elegant hallway headed toward the front door of the High Command building.

“With Gunnel. You were right. They strung him up. I’m glad he’s done.” Eli thought his tone still sounded a little harsh, but Thrawn seemed pleased enough.

“Yes, his sentence was more satisfying than I expected.”

Just as they were about to walk out the door to freedom, Governor Pryce appeared from around the corner.

“Ah, Grand Admiral. Just the man I wanted to see. I couldn’t help but notice the Seventh Fleet’s distinct lack of presence in Lothal.” She didn’t even glance at Eli, which was fine with him; all her syrupy sarcasm poured on Thrawn. 

“Governor,” Thrawn greeted politely. “There are many areas of the galaxy which require the presence of the Seventh Fleet--”

“You don’t mean that Rebel freighter and the stolen doonium that tied up your flagship for over a week, do you?”

Eli wrinkled his brow. He sure didn’t like the idea of her knowing where they’d been.

Thrawn noted, “You mean the over two-hundred dead rebels and attainment of valuable information on Rebel activities?”

That shut her up, and Eli couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh?” Was all she managed.

“It is a navy matter, Governor. None of your concern. I assure you that another task force from the Seventh will be in the Lothal system shortly.” He swept past her before she had a chance to say another word, and Eli followed.

“I really don’t like her,” Eli whispered as they walked outside. “So I guess you’ve got to go see the Emperor or someone now, right? Spill all you ‘learned from the Rebels?’” Eli wondered what actually had happened to the Rebels, but he assumed Thrawn would feel like telling him eventually.

“Yes. Unfortunately I must also speak with Lord Vader. It is the part of the plan in which I feel least confident. He is a Force-user and I am unsure of many of his capabilities.”

“Great,” Eli said.

They walked a few more paces and Eli felt he needed to say something to smooth things between them. “Hey, I’m--”

“Commander,” Thrawn said, and that word, uttered with superiority, jabbed Eli in the chest. Clearly Thrawn was totally over their ‘fight,’ or maybe he never cared in the first place. His mind was now wholly focused on some new stratagem. “Escort Captain Faro to  _ Chimaera  _ Storage Bay 12 at 1900 hours tonight.”

That was certainly not what Eli expected to hear. Bay 12 was where Thrawn kept all his projects, and it was definitely not a good place for a meeting. “Whatever you say.”

“Thank you,” Thrawn said, “And please conduct another information sweep regarding the Empire’s secret project.”

He knew Thrawn meant the Death Star. It had been awhile since he’d done another search into that project which had become a black hole for Imperial supplies and labor. Though he was excited about doing more research into it, it wasn’t enough to warm the frostiness he felt toward Thrawn. “Sure,” was all he said.

Thrawn nodded and began walking toward the Imperial Palace. 

Eli turned to leave the main square, feeling all the forgiveness drain away. Perhaps what he interpreted as Thrawn’s conciliatory attitude was really just indifference. He scowled and leaned against a wall. Suddenly he realized what time it was. He was supposed to meet Yve for lunch. He hoped Qura would forgive him for being a little late.

The now familiar hallway which led to the Imperial Throne Room was nonetheless ominous, and made more so by Thrawn’s impending meeting with Vader. The Emperor he had learned to gauge and though he could never lower his guard while in the same room with him, he at least had a fair understanding of their relationship and its boundaries. Vader, however, was a dangerous unknown variable. In their meeting on the way to Coruscant, Gibbs had said Vader was very proud and expected utmost respect at all times. He had also said Vader used the Force to threaten others and even to influence people's’ minds.

Thrawn ran through all he planned to say one more time and took a deep breath before he stepped up to the throne room. A red-cloaked guard led him in and guided him to the roof-top garden he’d not visited since he first met the Emperor over half a decade ago.

Vader and the Emperor walked together, looking horrifically out of place in the groomed shrubbery and white flowers. 

“Grand Admiral,” the Emperor said silkily. “Welcome back to Coruscant.” His mood seemed much improved since last Thrawn saw him, but it was difficult to say if Thrawn’s recent activities had anything to do with that.

“A pleasure to see you, your imminence. I have much to report.” Thrawn then turned to the man clad in black. “Lord Vader,” he said in greeting.

Vader remained unmoving and unreadable behind his mask, the rasp of his breathing filling the silence.

“Proceed with your report, Grand Admiral,” the Emperor said.

“The Rebels revealed much,” Thrawn began. “Though it was...challenging to extract the information.”

“Are the Rebels active on Corellia as we assumed?” Vader, the emperor’s right hand, spoke with a voice so deep that it rumbled. 

Thrawn focused on keeping his tone relaxed. He was not certain, but he thought he felt a consciousness brushing against his own. “Yes, Lord Vader. Currently there are fourteen operational cells. There is a movement to band them together as one, and my interrogation confirmed that the epicenter of this nascent Alliance is Corellia.”

“Good,” The Emperor said. “Admiral Conrad’s forces will crush them.”

“Among the group I captured were several top leaders of the cells, their deaths will be a substantial blow to the rebellion,” Thrawn said. “They also mentioned another location: Ruusan.”

The word got the reaction Thrawn was hoping for and dreading: both men focused much more pointedly at him and the Emperor’s already twisted face seemed to fold in on itself. Of course, Thrawn noted, both attempted to hide this sudden change in their demeanors.

“Ruusan,” the Emperor said. “It is remote.”

“Remote and powerful,” Vader said.

“Powerful?” Thrawn asked.

“What else did you learn, Grand Admiral?” asked the Emperor firmly.

“They have gained significant support from many of the Outer Rim worlds. It appears, your Eminence, that rebels are receiving aid from planets that we have under blockade even now. Lothal and Batonn for example. We cannot be in all places at once.”

Vader spoke now, voice sharper. “You will not tell me where to place troops,” he spat. “Nor will you tell me that blockades are insufficient. Perhaps if you were to have your eyes on Lothal there would not be a growing insurgency.”

“They know of the Death Star.” Thrawn said, attempting to ignore Supreme Commander Vader and focus solely on the Emperor.

A rage bubbled in the Emperor’s eyes for a moment then dissipated. He gave a tight-lipped smile that was more terrible than any expression of fury. “Did they?”

Thrawn nodded. “Other Rebel cells might even know of its current location, though my prisoners did not. I would be wary of an offensive at the Death Star’s location.”

The Emperor turned partly away from him, ambling along the path near the white roses. “Interesting. Is that all you have to report, Grand Admiral.”

“Yes, your Eminence.”

As the Emperor moved away from Thrawn, Vader drew uncomfortably close.

Thrawn turned to him. “I have heard that your Death Squadron has been kept quite busy in the Inner Rim, Lord Vader. A whisper of some lingering Jedi?”

“You hear far too much, Grand Admiral.”

Thrawn’s heart pumped and he felt his skin grow colder. “I prefer to be informed. I believe it is important for all divisions of the Empire to be well-versed in--”

“Your words might confound others, but I am not deceived by your forked tongue,” Vader said in the same rumble of a voice.

“I do not--” Thrawn felt a pressure in his throat and panic began to creep into his mind. Had he been poisoned, or was some small animal attacking him? He raised a hand to his neck. No: Vader’s gloved hand was clenched before him and his grip was tightening along with the pressure on Thrawn’s neck. His heart began to race, but then he took a breath and tried to keep his thoughts rational. It was compelling to have proof of Vader’s abilities that until now had only been whispers.

The pressure surged and Thrawn stumbled back. He could still breathe, but barely. Was it possible Vader knew his true plans? Could he read minds as Gibb’s had implied? Impossible. Thrawn looked at the black mask in front of him, silently daring Vader with defiant glowing eyes. This was nothing but a powerplay, albeit an impressive one.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the Emperor watching with the same frigid smile. Surely he would put a stop to this any moment. But his eyes had begun to glow with pleasure, his cheeks flooding with warmth. Perhaps he would not.

  
“Tread with care, Grand Admiral,” Vader said, and the pressure left Thrawn’s neck.

Thrawn gasped and shuffled back. He looked more pointedly at the Emperor whose expression was, if anything, slightly disappointed. A chill shot up Thrawn’s spine, but he closed the distance to Vader and looked up, wishing he could meet his masked eyes. “I will not be threatened,” he said quietly with as much steadiness as he could muster.

Vader looked to the Emperor who pursed his lips, eyes growing harsher. Perhaps Vader could not read minds, but it appeared that he and his superior were conversing silently in those seconds.

“You are dismissed.” Vader said, looking down, using his height in what Thrawn assessed was yet another attempt to intimidate. Perhaps when people did not cower in fear, the Emperor’s pet had few other tools at his disposal. Thrawn held his ground and Vader’s gaze.

“Yes, thank you for your illuminating report,” the Emperor said with finality. 

Thrawn pressed his lips together, hoping they had dismissed him to discuss Ruusan and not some treachery for which they believe him to be responsible. He was, however, relieved to leave this garden wherein he felt increasingly like a stalked animal.  He gave a slight bow to the Emperor, whose smile was growing more indulgent, and he turned to go. 

Vader stopped him with his voice. “I shall be receiving regular updates of your activities, Grand Admiral.”

Thrawn nodded, his blood freezing again, but he made sure his voice conveyed nothing but confidence. He refused to give them the satisfaction of acting as though this were anything more than a polite conversation, even if he had been strangled moments before. “I have nothing to hide. I was under the impression that we were to be working in tandem on this Rebel disturbance. Perhaps you would like to journey with me to assess the situation in Ruusan.”

“I will go to Ruusan myself.” Vader turned to face the Emperor, cape fluttering.

“Your Excellence,” Thrawn said to the Emperor in parting, keeping his tone agreeable.

He strode from the garden, mind racing. Vader’s skills would require additional analysis: the Force was indeed a powerful weapon he wielded. Luckily, though, they had taken the bait.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter! The next one will be up much sooner. Thank you for reading and all your kind comments.

“Oh Qura, darling. I’m so proud of you. What are you doing now?” Kinara Yve was always happy to praise her daughter and would have spent their whole holochat asking her about her job. Being docked in Coruscant always increased reception to Alderaan, so she tried to contact her parents every time the  _ Chimaera  _ was there.

“Mama, everything is always the same here! Tell me about what's going on with you and Dad.”

“New semester about to begin, so your father is very busy preparing his lesson plans. I’ve just got a new project starting at the library. They are adding a new wing.”

“That sounds great, Mama. I--”

An alert tone sounded, calling officers to their positions.

“Oh gotta go. We’re headed to Lothal soon.”

“What were you going to say?”

“I have a boyfriend,” Qura said, beaming. “Bye! Love you!”

Mama scowled. “What? What was that? A boyfriend! I--”

Qura laughed. “Bye Mom!”

Signing off, Qura sat up from her bed and put her uniform jacket back on. When she first met Eli two years ago when they were assigned to the  _ Chimaera _ , she just knew he and the then Commodore Thrawn were  _ seeing  _ each other. The signs were all there: glances they exchanged, excitement they shared at some private observation, and the quiet discontent that sometimes floated in the air between them that seemed to signal a lover’s spat. It was only after she’d spent some time with them that she realized their relationship was much rarer than that. They had developed a friendship that was built on a foundation of interdependence: Thrawn was a foreigner who needed a guide, and Eli needed someone to motivate him, whether he knew it or not. These years of dependence formed into a bond that was stronger than any casual romance the two might have had. Even knowing Eli was  _ technically _ single, she still only thought he was cute like a little brother. 

It wasn’t until one day a year or so ago when she came into the supply office to check on an order of TIE solar panels that she got to see what truly made Eli an asset to the ship. The supply bay was better organized than it had ever been before. When she asked about the ordered panels, he was the one who pulled up the information. 

“I didn’t know you were a Supply Officer,” she said.

“Oh I’m not,” he said, looking a little flustered. “I just come down here to help out. I like to keep things running smoothly. On that note, the supply ship with the panels is little ahead of schedule. He’s about 20 light years out, so he should intercept our course in about 12 hours. I just notified the docking crew.”

“Where’d you read that?” Qura asked, looking up from the screen to meet Eli’s eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“That estimate for how long it would take for them to get here?”

He looked confused. “Oh I just calculated it myself.”

He had done the math in his head. Qura arched an eyebrow. “That’s a real talent you’ve got there.”

He smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. Just doing what I can. My parents own a shipping company, so I’ve always been good with numbers and that sort of thing.”

“Is that so?”

“Keeping track of things, making sure numbers add up the way they’re supposed to. Keeping things efficient. It’s really important. Like this order for example.”

Eli pulled up another invoice on the data screen.The cadence of his voice shifted, revealing a confidence and excitement she’d never noticed before. “The galley ordered another five-hundred pounds of flour, so it seems like it would make sense for them to get that shipped all together, but looking at this hyperspace route and the ships already en route, it would make sense to get it in two shipments to better maximize ship space.”

Qura looked at the succession of data Eli had shown her. “Right. It would save trips.” She nodded slowly. “I never would have seen that. Well, not that I know anything about shipping.”

“Takes practice,” Eli said with a smirk. “I’d be happy to show you sometime.”

After that, she regarded Commander Vanto differently and saw the many subtle ways he made himself useful on board. Though the Grand Admiral had appointed him Senior Communications Officer, he was still technically the Grand Admiral’s aide; however, that didn’t stop him from putting in word to the captain or the sensor officer or to helm that showed a remarkable sense of awareness. He had told her he loved numbers, and it really did show in the way he was able to analyze any information at high speeds.

Today, she had thoroughly enjoyed their lunch on Coruscant. Mostly they talked about their childhoods: hers on Alderaan and his on remote Lysatra, which she found fascinating. He seemed a little distracted, and when she asked he told her he was having a conflict with the Grand Admiral. He insisted he didn’t want to talk about it, but was comforted to know that she was there. Her heart swelled at the thought of having someone she could depend on and who depended on her, not out of duty but out of...love.

She went down the steps on the bridge and took her place at tactical, giving a nod to Braxley at sensors. As she worked to set everything in flight mode, her mind was less on her work and more on Eli Vanto’s sweet smile.

* * *

 

By 17:00 hours that evening, Eli and the rest of the  _ Chimaera _ crew was back on board and ready for its journey to Lothal to investigate the Rebel activity there at Governor Pryce’s request. It seemed that Thrawn had been told by Lord Vader himself to visit the system. Eli wondered if Pryce had Vader in her pocket, too. He shuddered at the thought.

Eli contacted Captain Faro at 18:00 to let her know Thrawn expected to meet her in one hour, but he didn’t tell her where. He thought it best he walk her there himself since that had been Thrawn’s request. Just thinking his name made pressure rise in Eli’s chest. He sighed. He really needed to calm down.

Eli’s mind snapped back to their conversation outside the palace on Coruscant. He had wanted to talk with Thrawn and smooth things since their fight at Derra, but Thrawn was right back to business as usual. He probably didn’t even realize Eli was still sensitive about the issue. As far as Thrawn knew, Eli was speaking to him again, and that was good enough.

Eli met Faro on the bridge; she had just set the heading for their journey, and the two of them went on their way. 

Though at first Eli had been confused why Thrawn asked to meet Faro in Storage Bay 12, after analyzing onboard sensors again he realized it had already been a surveillance deadzone even before he had mangled the ship’s observation systems. It was an ideal place to have a very secret conversation.

“Where exactly are we going, Commander,” Faro said.

“I told you. Meeting with the Grand Admiral,” Eli gave her a conspiratorial smile. He really hoped Faro took this conversation well. He needed someone else to share this secret with.

“On the stowage level?”

They came to the door, and Eli typed in the entry code. The bay was the size of a large living room, and though it was half full of mechanical parts, Thrawn kept it orderly. He was dressed in his uniform, but his jacket hung on a jutting piece of metal. He had his sleeves rolled up and was tinkering with an old probe droid.

“Grand Admiral,” Eli said, clearing his throat. 

“Ah, just a moment.” He pulled his hands back and wiped them on a cloth. Rolling down his sleeves, he pulled his jacket on once more. “Good Evening, Captain. All well?”

“Yes, sir.” She said, with fascination in her voice. “You’re in here working on droids and old hyperdrive units?” She touched the shoulder of what looked like a defunct HK Guardian Droid.

“Sometimes. It is a valuable pursuit, I believe.” Then his tone shifted. “I have something to discuss with you, Captain.” Thrawn drew near to her. “I apologize that we must meet in such an uncomfortable location, but there is nowhere better to speak of this.” 

Faro nodded, looking a little dazed by the whole situation. Eli realized how accustomed to Thrawn’s eccentricities he’d become, and realized how incredibly weird this must be for Faro. “Whatever you want to discuss, sir.” 

Thrawn took a deep breath. “As I said back on Derra. It has been an honor to serve alongside you Captain. Your dedication to this ship, this fleet and the Empire are commendable.”

Eli didn’t get a string of compliments when Thrawn was trying to convince him. Eli felt a twinge of worry: does Thrawn think Faro might be difficult? 

Faro nodded dumbly, but then her swift mind caught up. “Wait a second. You’re buttering me up for something, aren’t you?”   
Thrawn’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptively and Eli already knew he needed help with vocabulary. “She means,” Eli said, “that you’re flattering her to make her do something for you.”

Thrawn nodded with understanding. “That’s not entirely true. I am reminding you of the many reasons I’ve already given for why I trust you and value your skills.”

Faro’s face grew more skeptical and she folded her arms. “Right. What is this about?”

“You’ve expressed on multiple occasions your exasperation with the corruption present both in the Navy and the Empire, but you have also said there are many aspects of the Empire with which you agree.”

Faro nodded, and Eli recognized the look she so often had that said, “get on with it.”

“Eli Vanto and I--”

“Don’t pull me into whatever it is you’re about to say!” Eli snapped, his intended joke sounding crueler than he had planned.

Thrawn’s eyes widened and he looked a bit stunned at Eli. It was a rare sight, but it passed just as quickly as it came on, and his stoic visage returned. “Very well. I have begun a process by which we can work to better the Empire and the galaxy.”

Faro narrowed her eyes in confusion. “A process besides being a Grand Admiral of the Seventh Fleet who follows orders--most of the time?”

“Yes.” Thrawn took a breath. “Commodore Gunnel’s behavior and following court-martial was not purely an accident. Nor was the destruction of the Doonium.” 

“Nor was the escaped Rebels,” Eli said, earning a glare from Thrawn. 

Faro took a few steps back. “What under the stars are you saying? You wanted Gunnel to do that?”

“Not that precisely,” Thrawn corrected. “He reacted more brutally than I expected. Karyn, you are well aware of the forces that are tearing the Empire apart from the inside. We have a chance to rectify those problems, and you know that cannot be accomplished by simply following orders.” 

Faro remained silent.

“When I achieved this rank,” he continued, “you remarked that the Empire had made it clear they wanted me to hunt Rebels. You and I both know that is not what the galaxy needs. The Rebels are, for the most part, our citizens. They are the ones we need to collaborate with to bring about lasting--”

“Stop,” she said, raking a hand through her shoulder-length hair. “I understand what you are saying, but you’re oversimplifying everything. You can’t decide who lives and dies!”

“Am I not a better person to make that decision than the Emperor?”

A shiver ran up Eli’s spine and it looked like Faro had felt the same thing.

“You would stand in his place?” she asked.

“Of course not,” Thrawn said. “All I say is that our Empire is under the control of a madman and his guard dog Vader. Those two care for nothing but their own power. I believe I have made a discovery that adds additional credence to that supposition.”

Eli perked up; he hadn’t heard whatever this was.

“I believe they are Sith.”

Eli gasped, stepping back a little. He had heard stories of the Sith and their battle with the Jedi centuries ago. They had been wiped out and not heard from since. The thought of it though gave him goosebumps.

Faro barked a laugh. “You can’t be serious!”

“Since the war between them and the Jedi, legend says there are only ever two powerful Sith: The Lord and his Apprentice. It is said that darkness and evil follow them and that their quest for power is eternal. I have a fascination with the Clone Wars Era, as you know, and there are many incongruencies that can be explained if one thinks of the Emperor as a Sith Lord. The destruction of the Jedi, the suddenly seized power, the--”

“What made you even consider this?” Faro demanded. “I can’t believe you talking about these… children’s stories as though they’re fact!” 

She must have heard the same tales Eli had growing up. The Sith were dark wielders of magic, and though they were gone from the galaxy, there had always been whispers of them one day appearing in the Unknown Regions or beyond and coming back to destroy the galaxy and bend it to their will. These had been bedtime stories, and Eli had never taken them seriously, but then the Chiss had also been nothing but stories.

“I speak of legends and stories because that is all that exists that tells of the Sith.” Thrawn took a breath and Eli could tell he was about to give a long-winded explanation. 

“Please listen, Karyn,” Thrawn began. “There is something very wrong. Having been in the presence of the Emperor more than I would like, I cannot help but feel a sense of foreboding. There is something inhuman about the Emperor and his Dark Lord. Ever since I learned of Vader’s mysterious powers I have researched the Sith. I was made to consider their dark allegiance more seriously following my most recent visit to the Palace. I decided I would conduct a test: I had planned to give the Emperor some false information and pretend I had received it from the Rebels. Instead of choosing a random planet for an imaginary Rebel base, I would pick one that would give me information. I chose Ruusan, a planet mostly forgotten, but which was the location of a Jedi Mausoleum and of many battles between the Jedi and Sith during their war a thousand years ago. I could tell by their reactions that they saw this planet as sacred.”

That certainly seemed to get Faro’s attention. 

Eli shook himself from his thoughts. “You just now figured this out?”

“Yes, with more certainty. As I said, I had suspicions.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all this when you recruited me to ‘Operation Thrawn’?”

“‘Operation Thrawn’?” Faro declared. “I don’t believe all this.”

“You had best believe it, Karyn. For over a month now all activities of the Seventh Fleet have been in service of my plan. To answer your question, Eli, I wanted to be sure.”

“First,” Faro said, “stop calling me by my given name, it’s weird coming from you”, she said with a half-smile. “Second, so what if he is a Sith--assuming those even exist. Why does that mean we have to start an insurrection?”

“Reform is more suitable a word, Faro” Thrawn began. “Aside from the many problematic patterns arising in the Empire, if the Emperor truly is a Sith, the galaxy is in grave danger. The Sith have a pattern of destroying all they control in their endless and unquenchable thirst for power. Every planet the Emperor controls could be wiped clean of life at a whim.”

Eli shook his head. “I’ve heard stories of that kind of thing. Of Sith battling over planets and the force of their power quite literally burning the crust off…” he trailed off, not even wanting to contemplate the horror of something like that happening on Coruscant, or Lysatra. If Thrawn was right, the situation was more dire than he had ever considered.

Faro folded her arms. “For the record, I think this is a bad idea, but Grand Admiral, you’ve yet to lead me astray. If you think this is the proper course for the Seventh Fleet, I’ll follow you.”

Thrawn smiled with what Eli assumed was relief. “Thank you for your vote of confidence, Captain.”

* * *

 

First Officer Harmon Griet strolled to the mess hall, nose in his datapad reading the most recent installment of “Adventures Aboard the Pirate’s Freighter,” when Qura Yve came up beside him.

“Senior Lieutenant Yve,” he greeted with a wide smile. “How are repairs to the weapons systems going.”

Yve smiled with relief, “There’s still a team working, but we’re nearly there. Once we get to Lothal and can pull in a few last parts we’ll be done.”

They entered the mess, which was as usual buzzing with conversations both light and heavy.  The friends got their food and went to sit at a table by a viewport. 

“I hear there’s more going on with you these days than business,” Harmon said as he dipped his spoon in some dubious stew. 

Yve gave a coy smile which confirmed Harmon’s suspicions. “There is something going on with you and Commander Vanto, isn’t there?”

“Alright, yes there is. Just a little something,” She said swirling her spoon in her own soup.

Harman frowned at the brown glop. That was the one benefit of being on a ground crew: fresh fruits and vegetables.  “Do you think it’s wise starting a relationship with a commanding officer?”

“Oh Harmon, we’ve been friends for ages. I know some people get things started with to gain rank or something, but it’s nothing like that with us.” 

“If you say so.” Harmon said with mock suspicion. “I’m just kidding anyway. I wish you luck.”

“Thanks,” Yve said. “You know, he’s really sweet. His lips are just--”

“Don’t need details, thanks!” He chuckled.

They sat in silence a little while as Harmon continued reading. He knew it was a rude, but he had left off at such an interesting point: the first mate had just found out his captain was in league with the navy! He heard movement by their table, and Captain Faro appeared, looking rattled. 

Harmon stood at attention immediately. “Captain?”

“Good evening First Officer, Senior Lieutenant. Mind if I join you?” Faro asked, her voice tense.

“Everything in order, Captain?” Yve countered.

“Yes, of course. Just wanted to grab a bite.” Faro said, taking a seat before jabbing her meatloaf aggressively with a fork..

“Easy,” Harmon said. “I think it’s already dead.”

Faro gave a little smile, but Harmon could tell something was up. Normally his captain didn’t look troubled like this. Even when confronting open battle, her face was hardened and her eyes stony. Now she looked tremulous as a Fondorian hedge mouse.  

“You know you can talk to us, Captain,” Yve said leaning in.

“It’s really nothing to worry about. Just got some unusual news, that’s all.” Faro began to eat, but she did give Harmon a look that told him he’d hear more about this later.

* * *

 

The blockade on Lothal was bigger than Eli expected. After hearing Pryce talk, he thought Thrawn hadn’t given her anything. As it was, there were five Imperial-class Star Destroyers, an Interdictor-class, three support vessels, and two Gozanti-class freighters.Though it was possible those had all just arrived, Eli found it unlikely. Why she also needed the Seventh Fleet flagship was beyond him. 

As they came to the orbital dock, Eli sat at his comm station and Qura Yve sat nearby at weapons and tactical. Captain Faro stood above them on the bridge.

Captain Faro turned to Eli before heading for the door, “Commander, proceed with docking procedure.” 

“This is the ISD Chimaera requesting dock clearance,” Eli said.

A very bored woman replied. “Clearance code?”

Eli began to type in the code. “Transmitting.” It was a normal proceeding in every way until-- “Captain,” Eli said, but Faro had already left the bridge. 

“What’s wrong,” Qura whispered, leaning over.

“Not sure, but something’s off. Wait a minute.” Eli watched the frequency on the comm link.

Finally, he got it. “Alert all commands” He announced, then called across to Lieutenant Braxley at sensors. “Do you detect anything unusual?”

Braxley sounded like he’d been napping, “What was that?”

“Anything unusual, like an unknown ship.”

As Eli spoke, the woman came on the comm again sounding significantly more alert. “Clearance code?” She was transmitting on an Imperial frequency, but from much too far away which warped the signal.

“I get nothing, Commander,” Braxley said. 

Eli jammed the signal he was receiving from the unknown woman and contacted the Lothal orbital dock manually. “This is Commander Vanto of the  _ Chimaera _ .”

“There you are  _ Chimaera _ ,” said a posh Coruscanti accent. “Wondering what you were--”

Eli cut in, “There is someone slicing your frequency, orbital dock. I’ve jammed their signal and…” Eli typed in a few more commands to his console. “And bingo. Got their location. They were transmitting from the ground.”

“I say, Rebels, sir?”

“I’d be willing to bet on it.” Eli said as he punched in the clearance codes to the dock.

“Shall I,” the man on the comm stammered, “contact the ground forces on Lothal?”

“Won’t be necessary. I’ll contact General Grean and give him their coordinates myself.  _ Chimaera  _ out.” Eli began to do just that and then stayed his hand. For all he knew, this was all part of Thrawn’s plan. He instead sent a message out to all Imperial ships warning them to beware of slicers and erroneous messages from Imperial frequencies, just in case.

“All clear,” Eli announced to the bridge and began the lengthy process of sending logs, supply data, and personnel files to the computer on the docking bay. 

Qura rolled her chair next to his and placed her hand his arm. “That was pretty amazing.”

Eli smiled and looked to her. “What was?”

“ _ That _ ,” she said, motioning to the comm console. “You single-handedly defused a Rebel threat.”

“It’s not like they were trying to attack or anything. It was a mild situation. Trying to steal clearance codes. Pretty normal.” Eli felt pride swell in his chest. Though he tried to stay nonchalant, he was a little surprised with himself for how well that went. 

“You underestimate yourself, Eli,” Qura said, her eyes sparkling. 

He gave her a bashful grin, and she draped an arm over the back of his chair as he worked. He had indeed “neutralized a threat” and he’d done it by using his skills with numbers and patterns: skills that weren’t flashy or particularly interesting to most people. When Eli had first met Thrawn, one of the first things he had enjoyed about his company was the fact he would give Eli compliments. Even when he thought he was a failure, Thrawn pointed out something he had done right. Other than Thrawn and Faro, no one had ever really noticed him before, except for now Qura had too, and her attention made him much more rattled than any encounter with some rebels. 

She waited until he had completed his transmission to speak again. “I hear we’ll get some leave time on the surface. Such as it is. I hear it’s no Coruscant.”

Eli laughed, standing from the comm station and stretching. “That’s an understatement! Lothal’s nightlife is pretty dead, but they’ve got a great view of the stars.” 

Eli’s attempt at romance tanked as Qura scrunched up her face. “After roughing it on Derra and those disastrous results, maybe I’ll just stay on the ship.”

“Oh come on,” Eli cajoled. “I hear they’ve got hardly any man-eating monsters on the surface unless you believe in local legends of Loth-Wolves.”

“Ha!” she said, standing. “Not very convincing.”

“I for one am going to get as far from the  _ Chimaera _ as I can to avoid Governor Pryce,” 

“Why would the governor come on board?” Qura asked, walking to the stairs.

“She likes sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. The Grand Admiral said she’ll likely show up under the pretense of having a ‘meeting’ but really she’ll be causing trouble.”

Qura laughed and looped an arm in Eli’s. His pulse jumped, and he suddenly didn’t care about what Pryce tried to do--or about much of anything else for that matter. 


	9. Chapter 9

Thrawn’s holographic projectors were engaged throughout his dimly lit office and glowing holograms of Lothalian paintings, sculpture, and jewelry surrounded him. The holograms supplemented the few Lothalian art pieces he had been able to bring on board such as an intriguing piece of graffiti. Thrawn sat at his desk scrolling through his personal datapad reading once more about the people of Lothal.

Primarily a quiet mining and farming planet, life changed rapidly when Governor Pryce gained power over the land that was once her home. Unemployment had skyrocketed as local people’s farms and mines were co-opted by the Empire who forced residents to work in Imperial factories. Those who did not wish to be employed by the Empire lost their jobs and homes.The Lothalians were not pleased with these developments, naturally, and it was their rebellion and incoming aid the Seventh Fleet had been called in to quell. Of course, none of this information was available through Imperial channels. It was only by reading “Rebel Propaganda” that he was able to see a full picture. His Imperial-issued datapad would not have even displayed information from the sources he now read.

Pryce had gotten her way at last, and he was unsure why she and High Command wanted him here so badly. A nagging fear told him they knew something of his personal plans and they wanted to keep him on a tight leash. The _Chimaera_ had been here for a week, and the hostilities had only grown worse. Thrawn would need to take more drastic measures to bring peace, which of course would play right into the Empire’s hand. He would need to be careful.

Looking once more at the data Eli had sent him that morning he steepled his fingers and pondered. Vader had gone to Ruusan and stayed there for several days with a few ships of his fleet. Thrawn was most certain there was no Rebel activity on the planet, so what had made him stay so long?

His desk’s datapad pinged with a communique. Dreading another word from Pryce, he glanced down. It was from Ensign Malori Pancel, and the sent file detailed her suggestions for TIE upgrades needed. A smile played on his lips; a welcome distraction from his tumultuous thoughts. Scrolling through the document, complete with graphs and charts, Thrawn realized how much time Pancel, and possibly others, had put into this. Of course it was unlikely there would be anyone in High Command interested in the efforts of a few ensigns, but perhaps they would take note if this proposal came from Thrawn’s desk, and perhaps he could put development of these new TIEs in motion soon. There was a TIE factory being built on Lothal, after all.

A buzz at his door made him raise his eyes. “Enter.”

Eli came in looking abashed. “Hey,” he said. “Wow, you’re looking pissed off.”

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. He would need to ask Eli for a list of common human slang.

“I mean annoyed.” Eli could tell that feeling wasn’t directed at him, at least, and that was a comfort. It was the first time he’d come to Thrawn’s office unbidden since their disagreement and he knew his friend might not be glad to see him.

“I’m pondering our presence here.” Thrawn said. “I worry there is more to it than meets the eye.”

Eli sat at the desk, feeling even more at ease. He was glad Thrawn was so good at reading people. It meant Eli rarely needed to talk about his emotions, which was not _always_ a good thing, but he was glad for it now.

Eli gave a crooked smile, “You mean something more than rebels swarming the area, new Imperial factories, creepy imprisonment camps for Rebels on the surface, and folks trying to intercept our comm frequencies?” He figured Thrawn knew about the occurrence a couple days ago when they docked, but the expression on his face said otherwise.

Thrawn leaned in. “What are you speaking of? I wasn’t aware of anyone slicing our frequencies.”

 _Frag._ “It was when we docked here. Honestly, I thought you might have been behind it. I figured it was the Rebels trying to get our clearance codes. I warned the Fleet about it.”

Thrawn narrowed his eyes to glowing slits. “Did you tell Captain Faro about this?”

“Well, not exactly, no.” Maybe things weren’t quite peaceful between them, after all, Eli thought.

“And why didn’t you? Or why didn’t you tell me?”

“I had it handled,” Eli insisted. “Honestly, people don’t tell you everything that goes on on this ship.” Frustration rose up in Eli’s belly. After all of Thrawn’s insistence that Eli do things on his own and be confident, now he was jumping on him for doing just that.

Thrawn kept his gaze leveled for a moment and then leaned back. “I apologize for my tone. I am...pissed, as you said. But not at you. At Pryce.”

Eli sighed, feeling a little guilty. Thrawn really wasn’t himself today. “Don’t worry. She’ll show her hand soon enough, and then you’ll have her.” He paused a moment before adding, “It’s like… slaying a krayte dragon, that’s all.”

Thrawn’s lips tweaked. “Yes, the Governor certainly is a beast in her own way.”

“Anyway, I came in to give you the data on the Death Star. I’ve been looking through a lot of supply lists, and personnel transfers. I think it’s almost done.” Eli slid the data card across the table.

Thrawn’s eyebrows shot up. “Almost done?”

“Not completely sure, of course, but--”

The desk comm buzzed again and Eli could tell by the code it was Pryce.

With a look of disgust at the comm, Thrawn nodded to Eli that they would talk later.

“Slay that dragon, sir!” Eli said, moving toward the door with a chuckle.

* * *

 

Combing some loose hairs out of his eyes, Eli hurried down the corridor. His briefing with Thrawn, Faro, and some others on the bridge crew had not been as uplifting as he had hoped. Though things weren’t going _badly_ , per se, things weren’t going well either. Over the last week, the Rebels always seemed to be one step ahead, which worked well for “Operation Thrawn” but wasn’t so great for their actual jobs. It certainly didn’t stop the Pryce dragon from calling them every day much to everyone’s annoyance. Catching a glance at his chrono, he saw he’d be right on time. When he reached the door, Qura opened it with a smile. “Hi, Eli,” she said, welcoming him in.

He hadn’t been in her quarters before. The room looked just like his with a small bed in one corner, a desk in another and a cushioned chair that was supposed to be comfortable by the viewport. She had, though, made lots of changes: Draped across the furniture were beautiful fabrics in Alderaanian designs, he could tell by the geometric pattern and--fragging Thrawn. She also had some unusual blade weapons displayed on the wall and an array of carvings on the desk.

A burst of anxiety hit him. All of their “dates” had been dinners in the mess hall and that one walk on the plains of Lothal when they had first arrived. They’d been much too busy for anything else. Of course, they saw each other plenty on board the _Chimaera_ day-to-day, but being invited to her quarters made Eli both excited and trepidatious.

Qura had changed from her uniform and wore a dark blue wrap dress that hugged her curves beautifully. Her deeply tanned skin was well complemented by the color, unlike the drab grey of their uniforms.  

Eli tried and failed to swallow some of his nerves, “It’s always nice to see you in casual clothes.”

“You too,” she smirked, her almond-shaped eyes playful. “Come sit down.”

Eli sat in the chair by the window. “So, uh, what did you have in mind?”

Qura sat on the arm of the chair. “Thought we’d just talk. Sound fine to you?”

“Definitely,” Eli said, looking up to her heart-shaped face framed by that shoulder-length silken black hair. He rarely got to see it down. “How was your day?”

“Working on training up a new squad of stormtroopers that just got assigned. Other ISDs don’t run as efficiently as the _Chimaera_ , you know?” her arm rested on the back of the chair behind his head.

“Oh, I know,” Eli said with a laugh, but his fingers tapped quickly on his knee. “Faro runs a tight ship. It’s not easy to keep everyone motivated.”

“You know, I was thinking,” Qura said with a coy smile, “have you ever thought of having your own command.”

Eli choked on a laugh. “Are you kidding? Like captain of a ship? Qura, that’s--”

She chuckled too. “I knew you hadn’t thought of it before, but gosh, the way you took control on the bridge when we docked. And you’ve done that sort of thing before. Remember when First Officer Griet was in command and those pirates sent a transmission saying they had an Imperial Officer held captive.”

“How could I forget?” Eli said. It had been a few months ago before they’d come to Lothal and it turned out the pirates were bluffing. Eli had kept them on the line long enough for the sensor officer to triangulate the signal and catch them.

“Griet got rattled, but you stayed calm the whole time,” Qura said, putting a hand on his chest and looking into his eyes.

Eli’s heart thumped. “Oh well, I don’t know about--”

She laughed and rubbed his shoulder. “Yes, I know. You always seem content to follow instead of lead.”

He prickled a little at that. “Wait a minute, it’s not that I want to follow, and it’s not about comfort. I think I’m where I need to be right now. It’s been… quite a trip, but I finally feel like I’m doing the right thing. I feel like--”

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Withheld passion surged in him, and he returned her kiss, but she pulled back a little.

“I was teasing you. I feel like you need a push sometimes.” She stood and walked the few paces to the viewport and leaned her forehead against it. “What do you think about Lothal? It’s been almost two weeks now. Is that what you mean about ‘where you’re supposed to be’?”

“Ha, not exactly,” he said, coming up behind her and placing a hand on her waist. “I mean…on the _Chimaera_. I think we’re a good crew. And we won’t be stuck at Lothal for long. You know how Thrawn and Faro are, there’ll get things taken care of pretty quick.” As he spoke he tried to convince himself, too.

Qura sighed, “I don’t know. It’s different here. The Rebels are… more organized.”

Eli grimaced. She could see all the same problems he saw, of course. “You’re right. The meeting I was just in….Things aren’t going well. Apparently, we just lost a squad of TIEs in what should have been a surveillance mission.”

“Yeah, I knew all about that, of course,” Qura muttered. Eli realized that her position in tactical probably made her feel the pain of these defeats even more.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to bring it up.”

“It’s fine,” she said, turning around to face him. “But you’re right. We’ll get through it.” With her words, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“It’s funny you talking about me being calm under pressure earlier. You’re the one having to make sure our shields are running during battle, and convey orders to TIE commanders and laser cannon operators. You… well, I was afraid to talk to you for a long time because I just thought you were...amazing.”

Qura leaned back to meet his eyes. “Really?” She smiled warmly as he nodded.

Eyes asking for permission, Eli kissed her again, more deeply, and enveloped her in his arms. As she pushed off his jacket, he slipped the straps of her dress from her shoulders and began to kiss along her neck.

 

* * *

 

Karyn Faro sat at her desk, absently tapping away at her datapad. Her first officer would be here any minute and she struggled with what exactly she would say. Obviously she couldn't tell him much, but she had to talk to someone.

Her life had been regularly thrown for a loop since she met Thrawn on board the _Chimaera_ . Most of the time, she was delighted with each twist. Becoming captain of a flagship was almost unheard of for someone her age, especially a woman, and she felt quite certain no other commander than Thrawn would have given her that promotion. She saw more action than the average flagship captain too; many flagships sat in comfortable locations while admirals directed events from a distance, but the _Chimaera_ was often involved directly in battles and missions. In all, she was pleased; however, Thrawn’s current “project” was more unorthodox than any he’d had before, and she still wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it all.

In these weeks since they arrived at Lothal, the _Chimaera_ had begun to settle into a new routine. Faro was surprised how quickly she had made peace with her new orders. Her morale had improved since she’d begun her duties for “Operation Thrawn,” though she was more exhausted than ever. She had always gone to her work with gusto, but there had been many times the orders from High Command had gone against the grain of her honor. Now, at least part of the time, she was following Thrawn’s orders alone: not orders from High Command or any governor, and his course of action was always one she could stand behind completely.

Still what they were doing was technically treason. She hoped that, as usual, her first officer would help simplify things and settle her mind.

Her door buzzed and First Officer Harmon Griet entered. "Yes, Captain?"

"Take a seat," Faro sat and proffered the chair in front of her desk. "What I'm about to say to you can't leave this room."

Eli said he had scrambled all the surveillance signals so that there would be no clear recordings from anywhere. What a comfort, Faro thought.

"Of course, Captain,” Harmon said.

Faro took a deep breath. “Have you ever heard of the Sith?”

Harmon leaned back in his chair, surprised at the unexpected question, but the surprise only lasted a moment before he spoke. “My old uncle would tell me stories about the ancient battle between the Sith and Jedi. He saw the Jedi fighting during the Clone Wars. Said they were fierce fighters, but restrained and logical.”

Faro watched as Harmon’s eyes looked fiercely over her shoulder, seeing the battle play out before him.

“The Sith were equally strong in battle, but they sought nothing but power, even at the expense of their own lives and the lives of those around them. Power was like spice to them, and they would destroy anything in their path to get more of it.”

Faro whistled. “You know a lot more about the Jedi and Sith than the average person.”

He paused, lips twitching and eyes darting back to Faro’s. “It’s a fun myth. I mean, I don’t know. I-- Speaking freely, Captain?”

“Yes of course.”

“They say The Force is a bunch of hooey, but I think I’ve felt it before.”

Faro laughed. “Of course you have! My stars.”

“I don’t know! It’s just fascinating.” Harmon said, chuckling a little with her, but his eyes weren’t in it.

She noticed that, and her smiled faded. Her voice grew serious once more.“You mean that, don’t you? Are you saying you have felt the Force? What does that even mean?”

Harmon shrugged, squirming in his chair. “I don’t know. It’s...hard to explain, but… It’s like a warm feeling. A comforting feeling. Like I know what’s going to happen or I know things about people--not like their thoughts, just a feeling. Not all the time, or anything.”

Faro stared blankly a moment. “I...How? Does anyone else know about this?”

“A few people. No one else on the Chimaera. People usually think I’m mad when I say it.”

Furrowing her brow, Faro said, “You know I don’t think you’re mad. I…” she faltered a moment, unsure what course to take. “You’re the perfect person for me to talk to, then.”

He folded his arms. “What do you mean?”

“Here’s the part that can’t leave the room,” Faro said, leaning forward on the desk. “The Grand Admiral has...oh it sounds stupid to say aloud, but maybe not to you. He has reason to believe that the Emperor is a Sith Lord and Vader is his apprentice.”

Harmon leaned away, eyes wide. “Why does he think that?”

“The stories about them, and some planet called Ruusan. Have you heard of it?”

Harmon looked out the viewport with worried eyes. “Yes. Site of an ancient battle.”

Faro followed his gaze. “You don’t believe it, do you? My mind’s been running ragged thinking about magicians in charge of the Empire.”

He met her eyes again. “It’s worse than magicians. Sith Lords have the power to destroy worlds.” His eyes glazed a bit before coming back to hers. “What else did the Grand Admiral say?”

Faro said softly, “That if there is even the slightest chance that they are Sith they must be stopped at all costs.”

Harmon nodded, tense. “You know. I think there is more than a slight chance. The things I’ve heard… The Emperor’s appearance and the things he does: he’s strange. And I’ve heard that everyone is affected by serving alongside Lord Vader. He does things to people’s minds.”

“What do you mean ‘does things’?”

“I hear that when Vader is on a ship, the crew runs things more efficiently. They win battles, they find uncharted hyperspace routes, and somehow they always seem to know what their adversaries are planning.”

“Sounds like someone else we know,” Faro countered. “Are you saying the Grand Admiral is a Sith, too? We just need to be logical about this.”

Harmon’s face twisted in annoyance, his voice sharp at her dismissive tone. “There are other things Vader does, like choking people with his mind and influencing people to do things they wouldn’t normally. Commanders leave Vader’s service and never speak again!”

Faro took a deep breath. She couldn't deny that he was right. She’d heard it all too.

“What about the Inquisitors?” Harmon said, “You’ve got to admit they aren’t normal.”

Her lip twitched. Faro had heard word of the Inquisitors, but it was all conjectural. They were shrouded in more mystery than Vader himself. She did know that they were an elite squad of...problem-solvers.

Harmon continued, “Vader trained them to be hunters, killers.”

Faro swallowed hard. With lips pressed tight, she remembered the crew of the ISD Malice. They had been suspected of collusion with the Hutts three years ago. The Inquisitors had been called in to investigate, and though Faro didn’t know all the circumstances, she knew the captain of the ship wound up dead and several members of the crew had been tortured to madness. At least, that’s what everyone said. But she had seen the Malice’s First Officer before and after the incident. He’d been a changed man; no longer a confident leader, he became tired and reclusive, eventually leaving the Navy.

Despite the way it seemed, it was just too hard to believe. How could there be people who fed on dark power in the universe? But how else could Vader and the Inquisitors’ abilities be explained? They did carry lightsabers, but they were certainly not Jedi.

“There are Jedi down there on Lothal. We’ve got to get them to help us,”Harmon said, tugging Faro out of her thoughts.

Startled, her eyes jumped to his. Had he read her mind? Of course not. “Harmon, we can’t jump to conclusions. We cannot make assumptions.” She felt whatever argument she had slip away; this conversation had gone very differently than she expected. “I think they’d be more likely to kill us than help us,” she finished flatly.

“Only because we’re trying to kill them,” Harmon insisted.

Her jaw dropped. “What are you--? Lieutenant Commander, we are servants of the Empire and have to halt this rebel insurgency.”

His lips quirked and his eyebrow shot up. “You don’t sound like you believe that as much as you used to, _Captain_. What are you and the Grand Admiral up to?”

“That’s…” Faro took a fortifying breath. How had he known something was going on? Was she that obvious? No. He could just read her that well. “I can’t say.”

He blanched and turned his head quizzically to the side. “He’s planning something, isn’t he? I want in.” When she stayed silent, he continued. “You might be right. They might not be Sith. They might just be autocratic dictators set on a bloodthirsty and power hungry vendetta against the rest of the galaxy. Either way, they’ve got to be stopped.”

Faro’s pursed her lips. “Seems you’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

“I like you, Captain. I was planning on leaving--trying to get out of the Navy, but then when I came onto the _Chimaera_ as a Lieutenant and started to work beside you, I realized I could make a difference. I realized I could help people while still serving the Empire. I’ve never respected you more than since we got here. Don’t worry. I’m with you.”

“I...I wasn’t strictly supposed to tell you any of this,” Faro said as Harmon’s eyes widened with hope. “But, I’m sure the Grand Admiral would want some help.”

They met eyes, and the resolve in her First Officer’s face finally gave Faro what she’d wanted when she called him to her office: assurance that she’d done the right thing.

 

Faro took a deep breath as she marched down the hall to the bridge that night. She hoped Thrawn was there. He usually was at this late hour, even when things were relatively quiet as they were now. The skirmish yesterday with Ryloth aid ships had ended quite favorably for the Empire and the Seventh Fleet, which meant the Rylothians had taken casualties and retreated. The defeat had been so sudden and crushing, there had been very little action on the blockade since. 

Of course that went directly against hers and Thrawn’s actual mission to help the people of Lothal and undermine the aspects of the Empire they felt were unjust. But, the counterattack on the Rylothians had been swift and as merciful as possible. If someone other than Thrawn and she had been in command, Faro felt certain there would have been more casualties and destruction.

Sure enough, as the bridge hatch slid open, there was Thrawn’s white silhouette against the darkness outside. As usual, he was still and catlike in the dim light of the bridge.

“Grand Admiral,” she said, approaching him on the right.

“Captain,” he replied, still looking out.

“What do you see?”

“A complex question,” Thrawn noted.

“I thought it was a simple one,” she smiled softly.

“I see the Seventh Fleet arranged in battle formation and shrapnel from Ryloth ships floating coreside. I see the smoke rising from the factories and mines below while the population suffers, and I see no end in sight.”

Faro looked out the viewport, stiff and unseeing. “So that’s why you stand here at night. To remind you why _we’re_ doing this.”

“We, Captain?” Thrawn looked to her, clearly understanding her subtle meaning. “I thought you were only following orders.”

She nodded, looking down for a moment. When she spoke it was barely a whisper, but she knew he could hear. “It is more than following orders, sir. I believe in your cause. We will be the start of changes that will ripple through the Empire.”

He visibly relaxed, and shut his eyes for a moment. “Thank you, Karyn. Know it will not be easy, but you _are_ always prepared for a challenge.”

She smiled and nudged him gently with her shoulder. “You know me well, _Thrawn_.”  

He started slightly at her use of his given name, but then gave her a minuscule smile before once again directing his gaze out the viewport.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your loyalty to my story :)

Thrawn glared out the viewport at the arching horizon of Lothal below. They had been here for over six months and though “Operation Thrawn” was proceeding well enough he couldn’t help but feel defeated. Yes, he had been helping the Lothalians receive aid, and he had been assisting the Rebels with their cause, and advocating for the Defender project, and attempting to turn more Imperials to his side, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to run all his operations from this base. It was time for the  _ Chimaera _ to be redeployed, Thrawn thought. 

His comm buzzed with a call from Governor Pryce. It was as though she knew he was thinking about her. When he answered, unfortunately, her hologram appeared. 

“Grand Admiral,” she hissed. “Your Fleet has not done as expected. There are still uprisings in the streets. You need to deploy more men. What are all those ships for?”

“I was under the impression that The Seventh was meant to serve as a blockade to intercept foreign Rebel cells, and that there were ample troops provided by General Grean to handle minor disturbances you faced on the ground.”

Pryce’s lips contorted and her brows drew tight between her eyes. “Don’t pretend to be naive. There is still Rebel aid getting through that blockade. I know you are aware of what is happening here and--”

“I am currently preparing the best plan of attack against the people of your home planet. Perhaps you could give me some additional insight into Lothalian psychology.” Thrawn kept his voice controlled and calm. “Tell me, do you feel the people are most upset by the mass-imprisonments or the unfair price paid for their family businesses, or perhaps it is the--”

Pryce sneered. “You think you can say anything you like to me? Perhaps you ought to reconsider your words. I have friends in much higher places than you do. I got you that white uniform and I can strip it away.” Her expression softened. “Unless you play nice.”

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. “I am unpracticed in the art of politics, as you know, but I think some of your governmental policies could be modified to produce desired improvements.”

“I don’t care what you think,” she spat. “Do. As. You. Are. Told. Get some more men on the ground--now and prepare for orbital bombardment. I will provide you with coordinates.”

Thrawn narrowed his eyes. “I will consult with General Grean to send more troops to the ground, but I will not attack your planet without due cause.”

“You would directly disobey orders from High Command?”

“Have they issued such an order?”

“They will in time. Governor Pryce out.”

When the transmission died, Thrawn released a held breath. So much for redeploying the  _ Chimaera _ . If High Command did order an orbital assault on Lothal it would be impossible to escape from that directive. Thrawn could not deny conditions on Lothal were on the brink of revolution. Attacking the Rebel holdouts and striking fear into the people was certainly  _ a _ strategy, and it was the one High Command usually preferred. He needed to contact them with an alternative approach. 

Over the next couple of hours, he drafted a measured counter-proposal to Pryce’s and submitted it to High Command for approval. He hoped they would take his side over hers.

  
  
  


At first, Eli had found it relaxing to be in orbit on Lothal; they were all able to go planetside, and it was more straightforward to lead a blockade than fight inter-planetary battles. After a couple of months, though, the crew had grown restless. Thawn and Faro had always run their flagship as the epicenter of Seventh Fleet activities, now, they were stationary and Thrawn led any other campaigns the Fleet had from a distance. The same things that had been novel at first were now exhausting. Eli could tell Faro hungered for a journey. Always happiest when they were in pursuit of pirates or charting a hitherto unexplored planet, she was wasted stuck in orbit. 

She would have been inconsolable if not for “Operation Thrawn.” Faro had been making sure Rebel aid had been sneaking through the blockade. As much as she seemed opposed to the espionage at first, she now seemed to look forward to the thrill of it. Eli also had his hands full; Pryce learned about a double agent on Lothal’s surface and it was Thrawn’s assignment to capture him as soon as possible. Since then, Eli had been working very closely with this so-called “Fulcrum Agent” to transmit his communications to the Rebels. All this was done without the Rebels having any idea they were receiving help from the Empire. Eli had to admit things were going much better than he would have thought. 

Eli had also been keeping tabs on Darth Vader. Eli had found out through crew rotations and supply orders that the Death Squadron had gone to Ruusan, and if they were there, it was almost a certainty Vader was too. That meant he had taken Thrawn at his word to investigate the planet. A planet which had once been sacred to Force-users. Eli hoped that when Vader found no trace of a rebel base, he’d blame the rebels and not Thrawn.

 

On about the 200th day orbiting Lothal, Eli was helping Faro with a delicate situation. A known rebel ship, The Ghost, was attempting to enter the blockade near the south pole of the planet. 

“I’m certain it’s no mistake, Captain,” Commodore Marinith said, his usually jovial voice serious. “I believe they’re attempting to reach the settlement that was recently occupied by Grean’s forces. It’s likely they are bringing backup. This is speculation, but we hear there might be Jedi onboard.”

“Wait one moment,” Faro said, meeting Eli’s eyes with shared concern. 

Eli made sure to disconnect the comm from Marinith and spoke quietly to Faro. “Maybe tell him just to keep them under surveillance? That’s better than the Ajax firing on them now.”

Faro bit her lip, considering. “I think that’s the least suspicious course of action.” 

She nodded to Eli, asking him to reopen communications with the Ajax. “Commodore, give them a bit of a fight, but let them pass through. We may yet learn more about these Rebel’s intentions through careful observation. Deploy a surveillance droid to follow their ship, nothing more.”

“As you say, Captain. Ajax out.”

Eli blew air through his lips. “Let’s see how that works.”

“Marinith follows orders and knows that my words are the Grand Admiral’s. I don’t think he’d act without consulting with the  _ Chimaera _ .”

“Let’s hope not,” Eli said, standing. 

Ensign Rupert Martinique approached from Eli’s left, coming down the steps to the lower level of the bridge. “Commander,” he said with a smart dip of the head. 

Eli realized it was coming on to 20:00 hours. When there wasn’t anything pressing, he usually ended his shift about an hour ago. Faro, on the other hand, hardly ever relinquished control of the bridge, but First Officer Griet would likely be arriving soon to force her to sleep. 

“Evening Ensign, coming to do my job for me?” Eli said with a smile.

“No, I mean yes, sir, I mean--”

Only a year out of the Academy, the young man training to be a comm officer was fun to tease. Since they’d been at Lothal, the  _ Chimaera  _ had taken in quite a number of trainees from the ground forces and others in the Fleet. 

Eli chuckled. “Relax, Rupert. Any questions?”

“No sir,” he said. “You’ve always explained things very well to me, sir.”

“Have a good night then, huh?” Eli said, giving him a clap on the back. 

“Yes, sir,” Martinique said, taking a seat at the console. 

Taking out his datapad to make a quick check of recent supply orders, Eli collided with someone as he went up the steps.

Qura’s surprised yelp met his ears and he reached out to steady her. “I’m sorry!” He said, “wasn’t looking.”

“Clearly!” She said, pulling him the rest of the way up the steps. “I thought you were supposed to meet me an hour ago?”

“Had a bit of a last minute thing to deal with,” he said, looping his arm in hers. “Want to go to the mess and get a middling dinner.”

“You sure know what to say to a lady,” she laughed, kissing his cheek.

“Commander Vanto,” said a blue killjoy in front of them.

“Yes sir,” Eli said, as they both dropped their arms.

“I hope I wasn’t interrupting something,” Thrawn said. 

“Of course not, sir,” Qura replied. “I’ll meet you later, Commander,” she said smoothly as she walked from the bridge, hips swaying, in what Eli knew was an exaggerated motion. Once out of Thrawn’s sight, she gave a wink that made his heart flutter.

Thrawn released a breath. “I did interrupt. I apologize.”

“What is it?” Eli said, shaking his head with a smile.

“We have an urgent mission,” Thrawn said, walking down the hallway away from the bridge.

Eli rushed to match his pace. “Urgent? What’s happened? It better not be something with Pryce.”

The Governor had been using the Seventh as showy guard dogs, sometimes even having the  _ Chimaera _ accompany her shuttle on brief trips through the sector to meet with other leaders. If this was a mission for her, Eli would just as soon call out sick.

Thrawn looked amused. “No, not Pryce.”

“Where are we going, then?”

“To see an old friend,” Thrawn said with a slight smile.

That piqued Eli’s attention. “An old friend?” Who in the galaxy could Thrawn mean? 

“So you will accompany me?”

“Of course,” Eli said as they entered the turbolift to take them to the shuttle bay. 

 

Eli knew something was up when they boarded a deserted shuttle. Thrawn took the pilot seat and Eli sat beside him, hairs standing on the back of his neck. He had a bad feeling about this.

“Thrawn...” Eli started as the shuttle began to pull away. “Tell me where we’re going.”

“To a Rebel base.”

Eli’s heart was in his throat before he knew it. “What? You can’t be serious. I know I don’t have to tell you how dangerous that is.”

“We have been invited and given clearance to land,” Thrawn said matter-of-factly.

“When you said we were seeing old friends, I figured you meant we were visiting Cheno or Virgilio or someone who was stationed out here. I guess you mean those Rebels we caught before on Derra?”

“You will see,” Thrawn said enigmatically as they flew from the shuttle bay.

The two sat in amiable silence for a few minutes as Thrawn readied the ship for hyperspace.

“So,” Eli said, “this is one of the projects you’ve been working on while we’ve been at Lothal.”

“Yes. This is a rebel cell I think will be most useful for our purposes. The situation has grown more dire. There are indeed Jedi on Lothal’s surface which means there are likely more Jedi throughout the galaxy. This rise of Jedi, I believe, proves the existence of the Sith. There is a myth which discusses a balance between the light and dark sides of the Force.”

Eli shook his head. “Should I even ask how you know all that?” 

“I have found that First Officer Griet has significant knowledge about Jedi and Sith.”

“Really? Well, guess I’m not too surprised. But…” Eli sighed. “Why doesn’t anyone else talk about it, them being Sith, I mean? If all this _ is  _ true.”

“Perhaps there are others. We merely are not aware of their presence. Eli, I have met Jedi before and the energy I feel around Vader is similar to the way I felt around the Jedi. I know that is not a concrete or provable piece of data, but it is the most convincing for me yet.”

“How does that feel?” Eli asked, propping a foot up on the control panel.

The ship made the jump to hyperspace and flashing starlines filled the viewport.

“It is as though raw energy courses through the air and the universe bends around them.”

Eli nodded dumbly. “Yeah, I’d say that’s a pretty sure sign something is fishy- -questionable,” he translated. “Can you feel it because of your whole infrared sense? Like the same way you can tell when someone’s lying or nervous.”

Thrawn smiled lightly. “Perhaps. To me, seeing the heat in a person’s body fluctuate and making deductions is no different from your chain of reasoning when you see someone smile. This perception is different, I have never cared for the way it feels.”

As Thrawn spoke, they came out of lightspeed in a starless area. A small planet loomed to coreward, but the radar on the shuttle only showed that there was an obstruction ahead of them, it gave no readout on the planet. “A cloaking device?”

“An uncharted planet,” Thrawn replied.

“That’s handy for a Rebel base.”

“This area has a high concentration of dark matter. It makes it almost impossible to chart.”

“Dark what?”

“It is a component of the galaxy that Chiss scientists were studying quite furiously when I left.”

A strange sound filled the cockpit and Eli figured after a moment that it was some kind of encrypted signal. Thrawn apparently knew what it meant, because he keyed in a clearance code.

“We will need to change our clothing. It is unlikely the rebels will take kindly to our appearance, even if we have been given safe passage by their leader.” As Thrawn spoke, he stood and pulled a duffel bag from a storage hatch. He removed his jacket. Eli came over with a sigh to see what he’d packed for him. The last time he had to go in disguise for a mission he had not liked it one bit, and it  _ hadn’t  _ gone well.

When they were finished changing, Thrawn wore a robe with a deep hood that Eli thought made him look very suspicious, but it did hide the glint of his eyes. Eli wore a bright colored cloak and ill-fitting casual pants. 

As they drew nearer the dark side of the planet, they began their descent. It was clear the planet was sparsely populated but very green with large oceans. Dense clouds covered half its surface and when they entered the atmosphere they were pelted with rain. The base they were headed toward was tiny and coastal on a large continent to the north.

They touched down with some difficulty as the rain picked up accompanied by a stiff wind. Through the viewport, Eli saw several people in ponchos and hoods heading across the landing strip to meet them. 

“I really hope you know what you’re doing.”

“As do I,” Thrawn said, climbing from the cockpit and opening the main exit hatch.

With the darkness, the downpour, and the whirling gale, no one could speak, and Eli couldn't even tell what these Rebels looked like until they made it to the base about fifteen feet away.

He and Thrawn shook the water from themselves as their hosts tugged off their ponchos. There were three humans, one man and two women, as well as a long-necked creature Eli had never seen before. He didn’t recognize any of them from Derra. One of the men, middle-aged and attractive with shoulder length hair, held out his hand to Thrawn --and Eli’s stomach dropped.  _ Nightswan _ ?


	11. Chapter 11

The planet where Nightswan had established his base was called Ferisia. From the looks of the lush greenery and moss growing on every surface, the pouring rain they’d encountered when they landed was usual. In the distance, jungle birds squawked and cried. The base was low and well camouflaged against a hill and a stand of towering trees. 

Nightswan, now going by the name of Aves Nott, had been here since shortly after Batonn. As he walked Thrawn and Eli into the base, he told them about the few survivors from the Creekpath Rebel Cell who had joined him, and how others had poured in over the last few months. As the man formerly known as Nightswan spoke, Eli was still in disbelief that he was alive. Two women had accompanied Nott to greet Thrawn and Eli at the shuttle, and they gave the Imperials wary glares. The other creature who walked with them looked squarely at Eli, but its eyes were tiny and it didn’t seem to have a mouth, so its expression was a bit difficult to read. 

Nott turned to the women and the non-human. “Stand down Rinka. Enwright. We can trust these two. And C’rut, fix that boiler, huh?”

C’rut gave a strange grunting noise and shuffled off to the right, his small eyes twinkling with aggression. Rinka and Enwright withdrew to the wall but kept sharp eyes on them. 

“So you’ve seen my point of view at last, Admiral?” Aves Nott said, leading them over to a table. Aside from the less-than-welcoming committee, no one else in the large main room gave them a second glance.

The three sat at one of the many long tables in the wide main room of the base. Around them, others monitored sensor screens, sent and received communications, and chatted with each other over a snack. This appeared to be the main room that housed most of the activity. The walls were lined with doors which Eli assumed led to bunks for the almost forty people he saw milling about.

“Unfortunately for me, you were correct all along,” Thrawn said. “And it is  _ Grand _ Admiral now, in fact.”

Eli smiled slightly. Thrawn probably didn’t even realize how pompous he sounded just then. 

“Ha!” Nott exclaimed. “Excuse me, your highness.”

“I simply wished to make sure your knowledge was complete,” Thrawn stated.

Sure enough, Eli thought. Just wanted to be accurate.

As Thrawn and Aves Nott bantered, Eli watched the many rebels moving about with their tasks and couldn’t help but think how much it reminded him of any given command center in an Imperial base. Nightswan probably ran a tighter ship even than most Imperial commanders, especially now that he had his own fully functioning rebel cell. His new name, still focused on birds and darkness, was just different enough to throw enemies off the track, but similar enough that Nightswan’s old friends were able to find him fairly quickly. He imagined a faked death had worked out well for him overall.

“Can I interrupt for a second? I don’t understand,” Eli said. “How are you alive? That whole place went up.”

Nott cast an angry glance at Thrawn. “It had been my plan to go down fighting with my men, but our mutual  _ friend  _ here had other plans. He won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“He sure won’t,” Eli said with a smirk.

“You may not recall, Eli,” Thrawn said, “But before the explosion at Creekpath, I asked Colonel Yularen to set aside a special force of men.”

“Right, to look for Pryce,” Eli said, remembering.

“I sent a private communication to the squad leader and altered his orders.” Thrawn continued. “I gave him Nightswan’s description and told them to extract him as soon as possible for a highly classified interrogation. They reported that he was dead, and took him into custody on the  _ Chimaera _ according to my orders. Before we departed for Coruscant, I released him. ‘Nightswan’ did die that day, but the man himself lives on.”

“So here I am,” Nott said, waving his hands like he’d completed a magic trick. Then he turned to Thrawn more seriously. “You say you’ve lost faith in the Empire, but yet you still serve them. You told me you would present me with proof that I can trust you.”

“I am attempting to dismantle problematic elements of the Empire from the inside out,” Thrawn said. “I am here now to deliver information to you regarding the Death Star; it is much easier to gather information while still a member of the Imperial Navy.”

Thrawn slid a data chip across the table, and Eli recognized it as the one he had given to Thrawn a few weeks ago. The chip contained a slew of top-secret intel, not only about the Death Star, but also the officers in charge of its construction, the supply lines feeding it, and even a few construction plans. Without an Imperial supply officer’s access to encrypted and password protected files, it would have been almost impossible to get that information. 

Instinctively, Eli smacked a hand over the data chip on the table. Both Thrawn and Nott stared at him.

“Yes, Eli?” Thrawn said. 

Eli slid the chip toward himself, but Nott stopped his hand with his own.

“You can’t have this,” Eli said, yanking the chip away and standing. “Thrawn. We can’t give this over to.... Do you know how many people are working on that station? Well, I do: hundreds of thousands. We--I can’t give that information up. I thought I was preparing this report for your eyes only.” Eli backed away, mind racing. For all these months he’d been helping the rebels, but this felt different. This wasn’t supplying aid to a downtrodden people, this was a betrayal of the many soldiers and civilians he had sworn to protect. 

Thawn gave an apologetic look at Aves Nott. He walked to Eli, and spoke quietly. “You and I agree that the Death Star must be stopped. It is a senseless weapon that will only make conditions in the galaxy worse. Instead of quieting the rebels, it will give them a rallying point.”

Eli’s head spun as he considered Thrawn’s words. “Yes, I agree it must be stopped, but I thought  _ we  _ would try to stop it.”

“We, single-handedly, cannot, and recruiting other Imperials to our cause has been more trying than I at first thought; however, in this room are plenty of allies to our cause. People who want the galaxy to be peaceful and well-governed,” Thrawn’s voice was gentle and slow as though he spoke to a small child.

Eli’s stomach twisted. 

Thrawn continued. “You said there were hundreds of thousands of people on the Death Star? That includes Wookiee slaves. I know how much the knowledge of them bothered you, and as I said, it troubled me as well. I want to do something about it. This is how we can put a stop to it. We can do our best to get as many people off as--”

Gripping the data chip harder in his hand, Eli swallowed. “I just can’t do it. Too many people will die, innocent people who are looking for honest work! The people on the Death Star, most of them aren’t officers. They’re just technicians doing their jobs. And think of it this way since you don’t seem to care about  _ our _ people: any rebels who ran an offensive against the base would probably die anyway. That station is armed and dangerous, and well-protected. You know it! You read the report.”

“It would be dangerous, but the Rebels would have help.” Thrawn’s gaze was level and absolute.

Eli shuffled back, nearing the wall. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Thrawn was prepared to help rebels attack the largest Imperial project in the galaxy? “That’s a death sentence. The Empire’ll know you did it. Thrawn, please, listen to me. You’re taking this too far--”

“Calm yourself, Eli, there are--”

Nott appeared behind Thrawn’s shoulder. “Sorry to interrupt your lover’s spat, but I need to have that chip now. You made me a promise, Grand Admiral, and if that promise isn’t honored, well-- you are both in a den of wolves.” His manner was light, but the threat wasn’t lost on either Imperial.

“Give me the chip now,” Thrawn said.

“No.”

“That’s an  _ order _ ,” Thrawn hissed in the tone he normally reserved for unruly subordinates-- which Eli realized he now was. 

Heart pounding in his chest, and before he even fully realized what he was doing, he dropped the chip from his hand and smashed it with his heel. Immediately an icy fear spread through him and his mind caught up. What had he just done?

Thrawn’s eyes seemed to glow hotter as they bore into Eli’s. Eli met the gaze trying hard to regulate his breathing.

“Well!” Nott said, pointing a blaster at them. “Looks like you’ve got some internal issues to hammer out before we can talk,  _ Grand _ Admiral.”

Eli raised his hands up, eyes darting to Nott and his blaster.

Thrawn broke his glare, too, and turned to Nott. “I apologize. I have a backup of the data chip in my shuttle if I may be permitted to return there.”

Eli’s heart dropped to his feet.  _ A copy? _ It hadn’t mattered. That risk he took meant nothing because, as usual, Thrawn was prepared for everything. 

“Hey, Rinka!” Nott called, and the woman Eli had seen earlier came forward. “Accompany our friend here to his shuttle.” 

She unsheathed a blaster and leveled it at Thrawn’s back while Nott then shifted his aim to Eli. “Right this way,  _ friend _ ,” Rinka said.

Raising his hands slightly, Thrawn walked with her to the ship without giving Eli another look. 

“What are you all gawking at? Back to work, huh?” Nott announced to the gathering crowd which dispersed almost immediately, though several people looked back over their shoulders.

Rooted to the spot, Eli watched in horror. Thrawn could get shot out there by that rebel woman, or Eli could get shot right here by Nightswan or maybe after he got the Death Star intel he would hold them both for ransom or worse. 

He didn’t have long to think because Thrawn and Rinka were back in only a few minutes. Thrawn’s face was as firm and unfeeling as Eli had seen in a very long time as he held out the data chip to Nott.

“It is genuine, but of course I know you will wish to test it. Perhaps we can look at the data now?”

With a regretful sigh, Nott lowered his blaster and jerked his head toward Eli. “Rinka. Put him in the cell downstairs. We’ll look at it. Come on.”

Rinka put a hand on Eli’s shoulder and shoved him ahead, but Eli got one look of Nott and Thrawn going into some private room. Eli and his captor went down a hall, then through a narrow metal doorway, and finally they reached a small cell that looked more like a horse stall. 

“In there,” Rinka ordered, and Eli stepped in.

She slammed the door and then he was alone in the dark. Shock wore off fairly quickly and began to be replaced with a cold rage.

What would he do now? Thrawn really had lost his mind-- or maybe this had been his plan all along. He told Eli that they would be conducting a moderately peaceful restructuring from the inside, but what if he really had meant a revolution? He hadn’t said they would join the rebels, but what if that was exactly what he intended to do? If someone like Thrawn turned against his own men, the loss of life would be catastrophic. As it was, his plans were borderline suicide most of the time. If he actually  _ meant _ to cause the Empire damage the results would be devastating.

He raked his hands through his hair with a grunt of frustration and sat on the floor, back against the wall. He had followed Thrawn for all these years because he believed in him. He believed in his goals and ideals, believed in his desire to do things the right way even if all those around him couldn’t see it. For all this time, Thrawn had lived up to Eli’s expectations. From that first moment he met him-- bedraggled on the shuttle bay of the  _ Strikefast _ \-- and those ruby eyes had pierced his, Thrawn had been the master of every situation, despite appearances. No matter what fate threw at them, they had been an unbeatable team.

Only now, Eli felt he had never been part of the team. He was never an equal to his so-called friend. Thrawn had only used him to get what he wanted. 

Any winning streak had to come to an end. Usually, Thrawn knew when to fold, but this time he had to be wrong. 

Eli let his head fall back against the metal wall with a clank. He had second-guessed Thrawn before, like when the  _ Chimaera _ was in the orbit of Batonn. Thrawn had perfectly calculated the movements of Nightswan’s ships, and Eli thought for sure they were going to die. But Thrawn had been right, and they had been safe. A few weeks ago, Thrawn had ordered Eli to slice an Imperial transmission into a Rebel frequency in order to covertly share information. Eli had been certain they would be caught or the Rebels wouldn’t trust it, but all had gone according to plan.

Perhaps this situation was more of the same and Eli would wake up one sunny morning to find the galaxy at peace. Afterall, what if Thrawn was right and the Emperor really was a Sith...? No. The risk was too great. Thrawn wasn’t gambling with the crew of a single ship or even a fleet, he was wagering the lives of millions that his wild plan would work, and that wasn’t a chance Eli was willing to take.

* * *

 

As Thrawn expected, as soon as Nott received the information on the chip, the tension dropped considerably. They discussed possible strategies as well as future means of communication for approximately an hour before Nott was finally satisfied enough to release Eli from the cell. 

“Again, I apologize for Eli Vanto’s actions. I did not expect such a violent opposition to this plan,” Thrawn said as they descended the narrow staircase.

“Sounds like you don’t know him too well,” Nott returned.

When they reached the room, Thrawn spotted Eli’s through the wide bars of the cell door. A strain released from Thrawn’s shoulders when he saw Eli was unharmed. 

“Nice job on all that,” Nott said to Eli, approaching the cell. “Thrawn said you were the one who did the research.”

“Didn’t do it for you.” Eli said, standing and coming to the door. “Let me out of here.”

“Eli,” Thrawn said, voice colder than he meant. “Are you alright?”

_ His face filled with greater heat and his lips curled in anger.  _ “How dare you fracking ask?”

“Open the door, Nott.” Thrawn said, stepping a little closer.

Giving Eli a wary glance, Nott opened the door. Eli stood there a moment, unmoving. “You’re not going to shoot me?” Eli sneered at Nott. “I’m allowed to leave?”

“Yes,” Nott said. “As I said: we’re in your debt.”

“Stop it,”  _ Eli’s tone held aggression and… betrayal _ . He marched from the cell, straight past Thrawn, and up the stairs.

By the time Thrawn had bid goodbye to Nott and gone after Eli, the shuttle door was already closing behind him. Bracing his hood against the rain, Thrawn followed and entered the shuttle as well.

“Eli,” Thrawn began, trying to control the frustration in his voice. “We could have been killed due to your actions.”

His body quivering and fists clenched, Eli whirled on Thrawn in the main passenger hold of the shuttle. “How dare you accuse me of anything! If anyone almost got us killed it was you. Taking us to a rebel base? What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I could trust you,” Thrawn snapped back.

_ Eli’s eyes were red-rimmed, his lips pressed in a severe line, and still he shook with anger. _ Sitting jerkily, he strapped himself into one of the passenger seats and met Thrawn’s eyes. “Take us back to the  _ Chimaera _ , huh? You know I’ve been awake for over 12 hours? I can’t handle anymore of your Bantha-shit.”

“I thought you would have agreed completely with ending the Death Star project at whatever cost,” Thrawn said, moving to the cockpit. 

But Eli didn’t answer. It appeared he had decided to punish Thrawn with silence once more and it made his chest ache the whole journey back.

When they docked at the  _ Chimaera, _ Eli turned to leave without a word. 

Thrawn stepped to block his path. “Eli.” He used his given name, hoping to invoke camaraderie and trust. “You know you must not tell anyone about what has transpired tonight. For my protection and your own.”

His face contorted in a sneer. “Right. Well, I’m not the backstabber here. First you let the innocent crew of the _ Interceptor  _ die for your own plans, then you turn wild animals lose on  _ our  _ crew, now _ this _ ?” With a strangled sound, Eli shoved past him.

Thrawn remained completely still watching Eli retreat down the hallway toward his quarters. He had betrayed his friend’s trust and pushed him too far. For several moments those thoughts stabbed him deeply, but he took a few breaths and numbness began to spread through him. Glacially calm, he moved to the bridge.

“Captain Faro,” he said, coming up silently behind her. 

“Oh!” she jumped.“Yes, Grand Admiral. Glad to see you’ve returned from your mission.” Her eyes were more lined than usual, her stance slightly less erect.

Thrawn drew closer to her and spoke barely above a whisper. “You should retire for the night.”

Her eyes widened and she stood straighter. “No, sir. There is a situation at one of the settlements below that I am monitoring.”

“Very well,” he said. “Let me know if there are any developments. I will be in my quarters.”

“Of course, sir,” Faro said, but then she twisted her face as though she had stopped herself from saying something more.

“Yes, Captain?”

“You should get some rest, too.” There was an ironic smile to the edge of her lips.

Thrawn returned the smile and walked from the bridge, feeling desolate. He hardly heard the voices of the few officers who greeted him in the hallways on the way to his office. Once there, he dimmed the lights as far as they would go. 

Standing inside the door, Thrawn took several more deep breaths, but anger began to simmer inside him. He stalked to his desk and pressed his palms hard against the metal. He was doing what was necessary. He had to stop the Empire before it self-destructed, and the Death Star would push it irreparably in that direction. The desk creaked and Thrawn pulled back. Eli, however, seemed to think there was another option... No, Eli had said he was prepared to assist in “Operation Thrawn,” but clearly Commander Vanto had been mistaken. Simply using the phrase “Operation Thrawn” made another plume of anger erupt in Thrawn’s chest. He had never liked the word Vanto had come up with for his plan.

Still standing, he pushed in a series of keystrokes on the desk’s data pad bringing up holographic works to drown out the Lohalian art that had been accumulating in his office. He searched the database for Naboo and the soothing pastoral imagery that filled most of their paintings appeared. Of course, he always searched for Pre-Clone Wars art when he sought relaxation. Once the war began, all their art was a desperate attempt to recapture the idyllic past. His eyes wandered over the rolling hills, lasciviously dressed courtesans, and the picturesque village scenes. A degree of peace returned to him as he continued to control his breathing. He moved around the desk and took a seat. His eyes swept over the paintings as the serenity of the images soothed him. Curious, he searched the database for any works done by the Jedi. The imagery of Naboo disappeared, but nothing took its place. Either Jedi weren’t artists or they were very secretive about any creations they had. 

Thinking clearly at last, Thrawn pondered Eli Vanto. He was not certain what he would do with him long term, but for now action would need to be taken to ensure the Commander was unable to betray. 

He tapped a few keys on his desk comm and spoke to the stormtroopers outside his office. “I require Commander Ruby Creen and Captain Faro’s presence at once.” When he spoke, he realized his tone was icier than he had intended.

“Right away, sir,” the trooper responded. 

Thrawn steepled his fingers and stared, unseeing, out the viewport across the room.


	12. Chapter 12

As Thrawn expected, Vanto stormed into his office the next morning.

“What the hell are you doing now?” His stance was stiff and his eyes blazed. “Captain Faro just took my access cards, and Commander Creen said I can’t leave the  _ Chimaera _ .”

Thrawn remained seated at his desk but raised his eyes to meet Commander Vanto’s. “Ensign Martinique is the interim communications officer.”

_ Vanto’s shoulders sagged and his jaw dropped _ . “What?”

“I cannot trust you to keep the Death Star mission secret.” 

“Thrawn, what--”

“Grand Admiral,” Thrawn corrected.

_ Vanto’s face held confusion. _ “ _ Thrawn _ . What are you talking about? We’re friends. We need to talk about this.”

“You cannot be trusted, Commander. If you attempt to slice into the comm system, I will have you court-martialed.”

_ Vanto’s jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists _ . “On what charges,” he snarled.

“Treachery.”

_ Heat rushed to his face, but some of the outrage drained from his stance. _ “Thrawn, look. I am trying to protect people. I know that--”

“It does not matter what you know. I am your commanding officer and you will listen when you are given orders.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is now? No more discussion. You make the decisions and everyone else just snaps to it?” Eli stepped up to Thrawn’s desk, shifting to a more conciliatory tone. “That’s not how it used to be.”

“We do not have the luxury for such discussion when we are in the depths of a dangerous mission. A mission you jeopardized.” Thrawn concentrated on his breathing, on modulating his voice. “I cannot allow you to endanger me or anyone else on this ship.”

“If you had  _ told _ me we were going to see Nightswan, maybe I could have been a little more prepared,” Eli said, an edge slipping back into his tone.

“It is not my prerogative to inform subordinates of my decisions.”

Suddenly fury rose in Eli as he snarled, “You heartless blue freak!”

“Out. Now.” Tension pulsed in Thrawn’s veins as he stood, but he kept his voice steady. “Again: make no attempt to slice the comms or leave the ship.”

With a slap of his hands on the desk, Vanto stalked out of the room.

Thrawn sat again, taking a few breaths. He knew he had made the right decision. There had been no other option, so why did he feel so hollow? 

Standing, he walked to the viewport and looked out at the millions of pinpricks of light. Two parsecs to coreward and 90,000 light years away was Csilla. He imagined the snowy shifting dunes that covered the planet and the thick domes that were the Chiss civilization’s windows to the surface. Faint pink and violet light emanated from the dome, and drawing closer one could see the glowing blooms of the _ lea’sly’mon  _ trees and the glittering spires of the Aristocra Parliament building. Outside the city and surrounded by a massive walled garden was the Mitth Estate. Having been built over centuries by heads of the family, it was sprawling and eclectic. Thrawn’s room was in the North Wing with his brother Thrass’s four doors down and across the hall. 

Thrawn still remembered his last night in the house: sitting by a fire in a room he’d grown up in, he felt as out of place there as he felt everywhere. He had been away for nearly twelve years serving with the Expansionary Defense Force in the Unknown Regions when he returned to convince his brother that the Empire could indeed be their ally against the unknown threat that had been terrorizing the farthest reaches of the galaxy. It was with Thrass’ political expertise that Thrawn was able to attain his “exile” in order to study the plausibility of that alliance. Now it had been almost as long since he’d joined the Imperial Navy, and what had been gained? He rested his forehead against the viewport glass and sighed, enjoying the cold on his skin. 

The desk comm buzzed with an incoming message, and Thrawn stepped to the desk to answer. “Yes?”

“Grand Admiral,” Captain Faro began. “They’re here.”

Thrawn shook himself out of his reverie. “Excellent. I will be on the bridge shortly.”

 

When Thrawn arrived on the bridge, Faro was watching a tiny T20 freighter with suspicion. “You’re sure that’s the one.”

“Yes. It is just as described. It is indeed small enough to slip in,” Thrawn said, noticing with an ache that Martinique sat at the comm station. “Ensign, contact the ship.”

“Frequency open, Grand Admiral.”

“Greetings Captain Sulahan, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the  _ Chimaera _ . It is my understanding you have been hired by the Navy to transport provisions to the base on Lothal.”

Sulahan replied with a lilting tone, “Roger that, sir. Clearance to land?”

“Granted,” Thrawn said. He felt a strong trepidation but swallowed it back. All was going according to plan.

 

Eli paced his quarters like a caged animal, his mind a tangle of guilt, anger, and worry. He couldn’t believe Thrawn didn’t trust him to keep quiet. And how dare he imply that  _ Eli  _ was a traitor endangering the crew! Gripping his face in his hands, he stopped for a moment and thought. He shouldn’t have called Thrawn a freak. He should never have said that. He deflated and plopped into a chair.

This was getting out of hand. Of course he didn’t want Thrawn to get caught. If he was caught, the Empire would unquestionably execute him. Fear raced through him at the thought. Eli just needed to find someone who could advise Thrawn against his current course of action: someone Thrawn trusted and respected, since obviously Eli himself didn’t fill that role anymore. With a flash, it came to him: Colonel Yularen. He was perfect. 

His door buzzed and Eli pushed the button to override the lock. “Qura, I’m glad you’re here.”

She hugged him as soon as the door shut behind her. “Eli, what’s going on?”

Still holding on to her, Eli took a gulp of breath. “You’ve got to promise not to tell anyone.”

“Of course!” She said, holding his arms, but stepping back.

“Well, get ready, ‘cause I’ve got a lot to tell you.”

Qura watched him.

Eli raked a hand through his hair, met her eyes, and took her hand. “The Grand Admiral and I… Well, Thrawn’s doing some stuff I don’t exactly agree with.”

When he’d asked Qura to his room, he’d planned to tell her everything, but as he spoke, the words dried up in his mouth. 

“Like what?” she asked, concern knitting her brow.

“You know that Imperial defense project I’ve been researching for Thrawn.”

“Super secret. Right.”

“Well, he wants to try and…” Eli paused trying to decide how best to word it. “He wants to sabotage the project in order to put more funding into his TIE Defender idea.” It wasn’t a total lie. “I disagreed with him and now he’s accused me of being a traitor and he revoked all my access to transport and comms.”

Qura shot to her feet. “That’s impossible! The Grand Admiral can’t thank you enough for all the work you do for him.” Her eyes were fiery, her hands balled into fists. 

“Calm down, Qura. It’s alright.” Though it made his heart swell to see how much she cared, he also didn’t want to her to get him in more trouble.

She paced, rubbing a hand across the back of her neck. “It’s not alright. He can’t treat you like this. We’ve got to do something.”

“I’ve got a plan,” Eli said, “but I’ll need your help.”

Forcing a labored slow breath, Qura nodded.

 

Several hours later, Eli and Qura strolled down a hallway deep in the bowels of the ship, trying their best to look as natural as possible. Almost every time they passed someone, he or she gave Eli a look he hadn't received since he'd been an ensign. Word of his demotion had apparently traveled throughout the entire ship. He scowled.

Qura stopped outside the TIE hangar door and scanned her access chip. If Eli couldn't take a shuttle, there was only one other way to get off the ship. Eli had never flown a TIE before, but Qura had assured him it was not much different than any supply ship he might have flown in his past life. 

As they walked between the endless rows of fighters, Qura explained the plan again.  "I'll open the blast door for you, and you shouldn't have any trouble slipping out."

"And once I get to the surface, I can find a way to contact Yularen, and I'll let you know when I'm ready to come back."

Qura nodded, coming up to a TIE that hung in a far corner of the hangar. "Alright, you can take this one. The tracker got disabled by a blast a while back and hasn't been repaired yet. No one will even be able to detect it leaving. If someone picks it up on a sensor, I will gloss it over."

She was risking her career by helping him. If Thrawn found out what she did, Eli had no doubt he would court-martial her instantly.

"Thank you," Eli said, and Qura pulled him into a hug.

"Be very careful. I hope you know what you're doing." She kissed him on the cheek as she drew back.

He gave a crooked smile before climbing into the cockpit. "Me too."

Eli looked about to get his bearings. These fighters really were stripped down, and not at all comfortable. It seemed most of the controls were standard, however. He pulled on the life support helmet, flipped the switches to get the TIE in the air, and Qura opened the door just wide enough for him to slip out. He sure hoped no one noticed the little TIE leaving--or noticed he was gone.

Since the  _ Chimaera _ had docked and all aboard had gained ground clearance, Eli figured he wouldn't have any problems getting to the surface, though someone might look askance at a single TIE coming in for a landing. He entered the atmosphere uneventfully, but as he approached one of the surface control towers he held his breath. Nothing.

At last, he touched down roughly on the most remote landing strip he could find and hurried away from the TIE. Maybe folks on Lothal didn't know he was no longer the  _ Chimaera’s  _ comm officer, and he didn't want to make them suspicious by seeing him leave a fighter ship.

The Imperial Complex on Lothal was housed in a huge dome, not unlike the palace on Coruscant. Its architecture stood at stark opposition to the arching white towers that made up the majority of the Lothal skyline. Thankfully the interior layout was not very different from any other base he'd been on. That meant the main comm room would be--

"Well, if it isn't Eli Vanto!"

Eli turned to see a dark-skinned Senior Lieutenant approaching him from the left.

"Good Afternoon," Eli said. "I don't think I--" But then he remembered him. It was Spenc Orbar, one of the many who had made Eli and Thrawn's life at the Royal Imperial Academy hell-- at least until Thrawn had beaten him at cards and sent his cronies away to train at Skystrike Academy.

"Senior Lieutenant Orbar,” Eli said, noting his rank insignia and feigning happiness. "Nice to see you."

Orbar's face fell when he saw Eli's rank. " _ Commander _ Vanto. Well. What brings you out to Lothal?"

"I serve on the  _ Chimaera _ , so--"

A wave of satisfaction flowed over Orbar and Eli realized he'd only been civil until he found a reason to be cruel. "Still in Thrawn's shadow, eh?"

Eli smiled, trying to let the insult roll off. "It's served me well considering our respective ranks. Nice to see you again." Eli decided it was best to walk away while Orbar still looked a little shocked.

Once out of sight of Orbar, he walked faster around a corner. Thankfully no one had questioned him so far since he still had no access cards. He hoped he could get all he needed by rank alone--it worked for most people in the Empire after all. The comm office was directly ahead.

A couple of ensigns stepped out of the office, chatting pleasantly, and Eli marched up to them. "Ensigns," he said, using his best threatening officer voice

They both jerked to attention. “Commander,” they greeted.

“I’m conducting a standard systems analysis of your comlink office.” 

“Right away, sir.” The tallest of them said and immediately reopened the door. “Do you need any assistance from us?”

“Obviously not,” Eli said haughtily. “ You’ll only get in the way. Dismissed.” 

Both ensigns scurried off, leaving Eli with a few disinterested staff members and a couple of stormtrooper guards by the door. Without much privacy, he’d need to keep the communication vague. He supposed he could dismiss everyone, but he didn’t want to draw that much attention to himself. First he went about doing a brief system analysis to keep up appearances and then settled at a comm station to the far right, furthest away from everyone else in the room.

He put on the headphones, keyed in the frequency for Coruscant, then the Imperial Security Bureau, and finally Yularen’s office. He sure hoped the Colonel was in.

“Colonel Yularen, this is Commander Eli Vanto of the  _ Chimaera _ .”

“Coming in clear, Commander,” came the familiar and commanding voice. “Is something the matter? You’re using the comm on Lothal base.”

“Yes, actually,” Eli whispered. “Our mutual friend is in some trouble.”

There was quiet on the line for a few moments. Then the voice that answered was far more somber than before. “What’s happened? What’s he done?”

Eli’s heart thumped hard. With a response like that, it meant Yularen might already suspect something. That wasn’t good; if he suspected, others might too. “He’s um… I think he needs to hear from you. He’s a bit...misguided, and he might need to be reminded of the importance of the Imperial cause.”

“Humph!” A pause for a few more moments. “Don’t worry, Commander Vanto. I’ll have this sorted out.”

“Sir,” Eli said. “Don’t tell anyone. This is pretty serious, and I don’t want--”

“Leave this to me,” was all Yularen said before signing off.

Eli felt a cold weight settle in his stomach, and he couldn’t help but think he’d done the worst thing possible.

Back on board the  _ Chimaera _ , Eli leapt from the TIE, rushed past Qura in the hanger, and sprinted toward the turbolift.

“Eli, Eli!” Qura called, following him. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

When the turbolift doors closed them in, Eli jammed the button to take him to the floor with Thrawn’s office. “I made a mistake. A really bad one.”

Qura’s eyes widened. “Did you get caught on the base?”

“No, I talked to Yularen.” He shook his head and kicked the turbolift wall.

She mashed the emergency stop button and grabbed Eli’s shoulders. “Calm down. What did he say?”

“He said he’d take care of it. But he said it with a tone like...I don’t know, like he was going to report all this. I just wanted him to try and talk some sense into Thrawn, you know?”

Qura nodded. “You don’t know what he’s going to do, so don’t jump to conclusions. Everything’s fine. Maybe he’s talking to Thrawn right now.”

“I doubt it. I betrayed him, Qura. I betrayed him and it’s all my fault.” All the guilt and anxiety that had been building in Eli ever since he embarked on “Operation Thrawn” seemed to explode inside him and he felt heat rushing to his eyes. 

“You stop it.” Qura shook his shoulders hard. “You did what you had to do. You were worried that Thrawn overstepped his bounds, right? Trying to counteract the wishes of the Empire, trying to stop that major project.”

Eli nodded. 

“Well, we need to trust the Empire. It’s giving the galaxy order and peace. Right?”

“Yes, but--”

“But nothing. Whatever project the Empire is working on, it’s to protect us. If Thrawn stops the project, it will leave us vulnerable. There are marauders, bounty hunters, and pirates who are just waiting for the Empire to stumble so they can come back in and take control. The skies are safer now than they’ve ever been. Thrawn used to be part of that solution, but now he’s standing in the way.”

Eli met her eyes, seeing the passion there.

“Things are always going to get worse before they get better. But things will get better. You believe that, don’t you?” Qura said.

"Yes. I do think things will get better, but like I said, I don't disagree with everything Thrawn's doing. Just the execution of it. Maybe I'll just talk to him," Eli said, reaching for the button to start the turbolift again. 

Qura took his hand again. "You can't, Eli."

He pulled away from her. 

"Imagine if you went into the Grand Admiral's office and said you told Colonel Yularen about his plan,” Qura insisted. “He already doesn't trust you. He could court-martial you or worse."

Eli considered it a moment. Qura was right. Thrawn would know that Eli had left the ship and contacted Yularen. As it was, if Yularen contacted Thrawn he could just be reaching out as a friend. Eli knew Thrawn would never do anything to hurt him, but Qura was right that he might ruin his career and see to it he was stranded on a backwater planet forever. 

"Ok, I won't talk to him," Eli said, feeling guilt rise in him again as he lied.

Qura started the lift again but pushed the button for the mess hall instead. "Things will be fine, Eli."

"Sure," Eli said, giving her hand a squeeze as they stepped out.

* * *

 

That night, Eli sat alone in his room. He turned Thrawn’s actions with the Death Star intel over and over in his mind. Clearly, Thrawn thought he was doing the right thing. There was no question there, but just because he _ thought _ it was right didn’t mean it  _ was _ . Then Eli had done what he thought was right by telling Yularen, only to feel like it was so very wrong. 

He gripped his face in his hands and sighed deeply. Looking out the viewport, he watched a small freighter travel by, guidelight twinkling. He could guess, however, that Thrawn didn’t feel guilty like he did now. Thrawn wasn’t regretting turning that information over to Nightswan the way Eli regretted what he had done. He would wait and see what happened. There was no way to decide what was right and wrong sometimes, he reasoned, until you saw the outcome.

Colonel Yularen sat staring blindly out his office window at the glittering skyline of Coruscant. He had already done what he needed to regarding Vanto’s call, so why was his stomach a knot of anxiety? 

He had had his suspicions about Thrawn ever since the Creekpath incident, though he had to admit he never thought it would go far enough that even Vanto would turn against him. Of course, he wasn’t sure  _ how _ far things had gone, but his gut told him things were worse than Vanto had implied. 

He turned a stylus over and over in his hand, remembering. When he first met Thrawn, he had been pleasantly surprised by his intelligence, intuition, and almost preternatural strategic abilities. Thrawn was a man who put his duty to his commanders and crew above all else, someone who would tirelessly analyze the most mundane details to solve a problem. From the start, Yularen knew he wanted to work alongside him, and so they had for years. He had followed Thrawn’s rise in the ranks, sometimes fearing his friend would fall into the laziness that was so common amongst the Admiralty, but Yularen had been pleased to find that Thrawn’s dedication only grew. 

What had changed about his friend? With a bitter smile, he shook his head. Oh, he knew: it was the same reason he wished to step down from the Navy and join the ISB. The Empire was not as the Republic had been. Yularen had sensed a shift since Senator Palpatine had become Chancellor. Yularen had felt that as long as he was working to investigate corruption and crime he would be keeping the people safe; unfortunately, the political environment had only grown more harsh and the military had become Palpatine’s puppets instead of a fleet of honorable men protecting the galaxy.

Yes, he understood only too well what caused this disturbance with his friend, but Yularen still had to uphold the law. No matter what madness the galaxy descended into, he was dedicated to that purpose. If he did not follow the law, what else was there?

* * *

 

Life aboard the  _ Chimaera  _ had become almost unbearable for Eli. It had been two impossibly long days since he’d lost his officer access, and he’d been avoiding Thrawn like the Gandian plague knowing that his guilty face would betray him. There were many times he meant to confess what he’d done, but he couldn’t find a good time. Nothing had come from his report to Yularen, as far as he could tell, which did give him some degree of comfort. Perhaps Yularen had spoken to Thrawn and all was well? There was no way for him to really know what Thrawn was up to, however, since Eli was barred from the bridge and replaced by Ensign Martinique. With a derisive laugh to himself, Eli acknowledged the ensign he’d been training was getting quite the golden opportunity. 

Eli couldn’t get much information from anyone else since most of the crew besides Qura had stopped talking to him aside from a casual word or an all-business conversation. Even Captain Faro, who he certainly counted among his friends, all but ignored him. Eli realized that, of course, Thrawn couldn't have told anyone what Eli  _ actually _ did, so everyone must have been making all the worst assumptions. 

On the evening of the second day, First Officer Harmon Griet approached Eli in the mess hall. Eli was in a far corner away from everyone else. “Commander, I mean, I assume you’re still a commander, right? You haven’t been demoted?”

“No,” Eli said, poking mashed tubers with a spoon. “The Grand Admiral and I just got in a...disagreement.”

Griet chuckled infectiously and Eli couldn’t help but smile, “You can’t be serious?” Griet said. “Is that what this is all about? The Captain’s acting like you’re a pariah.”

“Yeah well, you don’t know the kind of fight we had.”

Griet nodded. “I see. Like a...relationship fight?”

_ Were people still going on about that?  _ “We’re just friends,” Eli said, giving the familiar response.

Griet’s ears turned red. “Oh. Well. Anyway, I’m sure it’ll blow over. Everyone on board likes you, Commander. They won’t hold this against you for long.”

Eli felt some tension slide from his shoulders for the first time in a while. “Thanks. That’s good to hear.”

Griet gave him a warm smile. “I wanted to talk to you about… well, I figured you were in on it too so…”

“In on what?” Eli immediately chided himself; he couldn’t have sounded more like he was up to something if he had tried. 

“You know: the  _ Chimaera’s _ real mission.”

So much for released tension: Eli’s heart stumbled and he stared hard at Griet. Eli remembered that Thrawn had said he’d been talking to Griet about the Force. But how much did Griet really know?  “Not sure what you’re talking about,” Eli said, trying to be cryptic.

“Right, right. Well, I wanted to talk to you about Jedi and Sith.”

Eli choked on his water.

“It’s a compelling story, don’t you think?” Griet didn’t seem bothered by Eli’s reaction at all, and continued speaking in a jovial tone.

“How do you mean?”

Griet looked at him matter-of-factly. “Commander, you don’t have to pretend. The Grand Admiral told me you scrambled all the surveillance signals on the ship just in case. I know all about it.” He winked. 

Eli’s pursed his lips, feeling sour. He didn’t like that Thrawn had been telling Griet all this. He wondered if Thrawn had been talking to him since Eli was out of his favor. Shaking his head, he tossed that idea away.

Griet continued, “I just wondered if you knew anything more about the whole situation with the Emperor, the Sith, the Jedi on Lothal, or anything like that. The Grand Admiral said that you two had been in contact with some…Rebels.”

Planting his hands on the table, Eli regarded Griet carefully. Thrawn had trusted Griet with a lot. Eli pushed that twinge of jealousy out of his mind again. Maybe it  _ was _ safe to talk.

“What do you already know?” Eli asked.

Griet went on to tell Eli about a millennium of war between the Jedi and Sith, the danger that Sith posed to the universe, and the ever-present struggle of good vs. evil; Eli felt a little dizzy. Thrawn had said all this before, but it felt more real coming from someone as  _ normal _ as Harmon Griet. 

Eli remembered when he’d first met Harmon. An Ensign onboard that Chimaera, he’d joined not long after Thrawn and Eli. Thrawn, in the way he always could, noticed something special about Griet and had asked Eli to partner with him on data searches, and Faro to put him in charge of crew assignments and some star-charting. This lanky and kind redhead would have likely been looked over by other commanders, but as usual, Thrawn saw things others did not. In just a couple of years, Griet has risen from Ensign to Lieutenant Commander and First Officer of the Chimaera. He balanced the crew and had become an essential part of the command team.  

“So there really is a Force,” Eli finally said.

Griet nodded. “It used to be more commonly known. When the Jedi were still the protectors of the galaxy. My grandfather told me stories about them. It was still mysterious, but people knew. But the Empire--” he faltered. “The Empire covered it up. They wanted people to forget the old ways and worship the Emperor, and that gives the Sith power.”

“These Sith--folks like Vader and the Emperor-- they use the Force to control people and are trying to rule the galaxy in their war against the Jedi?”

“Ruling the galaxy gives them power and strengthens their hold on the Force, or so it seems from what I’ve read. They feed on fear and anger, so the more horror there is in the world, the stronger their powers get.”

Eli felt his stomach churn with unease. Thrawn hadn’t explained it quite that way. “Well, sounds like you know everything. Why did you want to talk to me?”

“I wondered if you’d felt it too. I asked the Captain and Grand Admiral, but they said they don’t.”

“Feel what?” Eli whispered, leaning in.

“The Force. It’s all around us.”

“Ha,” Eli started. “People don’t just  _ feel _ the Force, do they? And if they did, why do you think _ I  _ would feel it?”

Griet chuckled. “I don’t know. I just… I mean, do you ever feel like things just  _ happen _ around you? Unusual things?”

“All the time,” Eli said flatly, “but I think that’s got more to do with my choice of friends than some mystical power.”

“And do you ever know things or have feelings about things that others don’t understand?”

Eli sighed and leaned forward on the table. “Harmon, everyone feels like that sometimes. That’s just life. You should feel proud of the things you know and do, you shouldn’t attribute them to the Force. Things never just ‘happen.’ People are in control of their own lives.”

Griet shrugged. “So you don’t feel like you’re here for a reason?”

That gave Eli pause, and even what he had said moments before didn’t ring true. All those words about carving your destiny and being the master of your own life were the things his parents had said to him, things he’d  _ believed  _ growing up. But ever since he’d met Thrawn, he had felt swept up in a whirlwind. What if Eli  _ was _ here for a reason. What if he’d been on board the  _ Strikefast _ for a reason when they went to chart that unknown planet? What if there had been fate at work when both Thrawn and Eli were assigned to the  _ Blood Crow _ ? It was easier to blame Thrawn himself for all of it, but what if it was more. What if both of them were being driven by an outside force?

“You know what,” Eli said. “I do feel like that sometimes.”


	13. Chapter 13

Eli stood outside Thrawn’s door. He had to go inside. He had to warn him even if it meant the end of Eli’s career.

He pressed the button for entry and the door slid open. Heart beating in his throat, Eli stepped into the ink-black room. “Thrawn,” he began, voice cracking just a little.

“Yes?” The voice that greeted him was glacial, slicing through the darkness.

“Thrawn, I…”

“I know well what you did.”

Eli stopped dead as Thrawn turned his chair, revealing glowing red eyes. “Moments ago I received word Lord Vader will be sending his Inquisitors onboard the  _ Chimaera _ for a  _ routine _ check.” 

“Inquisitors?” Eli asked, struggling and failing to modulate his tone. He’d never seen Thrawn this angry--or...scared? The door behind Eli slid shut and now they were in complete darkness.

Thrawn stood, nothing but those red eyes, and walked around the desk. “They are his personal force. They hunt the most  _ problematic  _ enemies of the Empire.”

The lights rose just slightly and Eli assumed Thrawn must have touched a switch on his desk. As he drew closer, Eli could tell that it was indeed fear in Thrawn’s face. Fear and…loss. 

“I trusted you,” Thrawn said in a monotone. “And you betrayed me twice now. You directly disobeyed orders.”

“Thrawn, I…” Any defense Eli thought of was worthless. “I talked to Yularen, but as soon as I did, I knew I had done the wrong thing. I came to warn you, but I guess I was too late.”

Thrawn barked a bitter laugh and turned to look out the viewport. As Thrawn stared at the darkness, Eli watched the menace drain from his face.

“What do we do now?” Eli said, coming up beside him.

“There is no ‘we.’” Thrawn said, his voice weary. “It is essential the Empire continues to believe you are loyal to them. You turned me in, after all. And you shall take full credit for that,” Thrawn cut through Eli’s protest. “Furthermore, you need to make sure the Inquisitors believe I am the sole person responsible for this ‘treachery.’ Everyone else on board needs to be protected, and of course, the Inquisitors won’t trust anything  _ I _ say.”

The door buzzed and Captain Faro entered. “You asked to see me, sir…” She came forward quickly. “Commander! I didn’t think I’d see you in here. Grand Admiral--?”

He dismissed her comment with a sharp gesture. “Captain, Lord Vader’s Inquisitors intend to board the  _ Chimaera _ tomorrow. I have already instructed Commander Vanto to tell them I am the only one involved. It is essential that you also tarnish my name as much as you can, Captain. Tell the Inquisitors that I’ve been acting strangely, that you’ve been keeping my wild actions in check. It is essential that they believe you both if they come on board.”

Eli shook his head. “What do you mean _ if _ they come on board?”

“I am hoping to lure them away before that,” Thrawn said. “I hope they will avoid the  _ Chimaera _ altogether and search for me, but I cannot guarantee it. I will flee the ship and you will report my actions to High Command, Captain.”

Faro’s eyes were saucers. “Yes. Sir,” she said, always much better at maintaining professional decorum than Eli was.

Eli stepped up to Thrawn. “You can’t just go like that! If they catch you--”

“They won’t, and if they do, Karyn will continue ‘Operation Thrawn.’ I will stay in contact with you, Karyn. I intend to have a safe location.”

Eli was pretty sure he knew exactly where that “safe location” was. 

“Dismissed, Captain Faro.”

She shook her head. “You better know what you are doing.” She pointed at him. “And you’d better not do anything foolish--well,  _ more _ foolish.”

“I will endeavor not to be foolish,” Thrawn said. “I will be in contact soon.”

Captain Faro left and Eli felt like he was sinking into the floor.

“This was always part of the plan,” Thrawn said, facing the viewport once more. “However, you accelerated it somewhat.”

“I’m sorry.”

Thrawn turned to look at Eli.

“I am so sorry for all this,” Eli continued. “I… I’m stupid. I shouldn’t have thought I… I just--It doesn’t sit right with me. None of it. But, when I realized that I’d put you in danger, none of those disagreements mattered. I still…”

“Understood,” Thrawn said. “I too apologize. I pushed you too far too fast. Though you are better than most at following my logical jumps, even you take time to catch up.”

Eli snorted but smiled. “That wasn’t much of an apology.”

Thrawn’s lips turned up slightly. “I must go. I hope you will assist Captain Faro. Remember what I said: take full credit for turning me in. You mustn’t show any sign of weakness in your resolve. You told Yularen about me because you knew I was a traitor. You must tell the rest of the crew as well. Everyone must believe in you and Captain Faro now, not me.”

The words stung, but Eli nodded. “Be careful, Thrawn.”

“You as well, Eli.”

* * *

 

Commander Saria Galdeena leaned back in the pilot’s seat of  _ True Shot II _ and pondered. Their capture and brush with Grand Admiral Thrawn toward the end of last year was certainly not something she would call a blessing in disguise, but it proved more fruitful than any other interaction she’d had with the Empire. Since their escape from the Imperial Derra base months ago, her crew and Toorgen’s had already scuttled a few Imperial scout ships by using the stolen shuttle as disguise, accessed 5 high-level security codes from the shuttle databases, helped thwart the Imperial attack on the Corellian rebels, and she and Toorgen had set up a new base of operations on the north side of Derra. 

That tiny Imperial base in the southern hemisphere of the planet was not only poorly equipped to hold prisoners and to keep out Nexu, its sensors were also unable to detect anything outside the atmosphere or more than 100 miles away, which meant as long as they stayed out of sight on the opposite side of the planet, they were well-hidden. Mon Mothma had given Galdeena high praise for establishing a base in that sector which helped them keep an eye on the opposite side of the galaxy from her base on Dantooine. If Mon Mothma’s idea of declaring official rebellion and war against the Empire went through, Galdeena, Toorgen, and their crews would be well-positioned to be high in the ranks.  

Yes, Galdeena said to herself once more. Things were going very well. As she pondered her good fortune, a sharp distress tone suddenly echoed through the cockpit.

It was certainly a Rebel channel, but not one of the ones used by her team. Leaning forward, she flipped her purple lekku over her shoulder to listen: “Come in--extraction--high--Blackbird--”

Through the static, the only thing they stuck out to her was the call sign Blackbird. “Has’lean!” she called to her second in command.  

The golden Bothan barged into the cockpit. “Was that a distress call I heard coming through?”

“It was, and not just any distress call: Couldn’t make it all out, but the Blackbird cell is the one that sent it. I’ve got the coordinates, and no wonder the connection is rough. It’s coming all the way from the Lothal system. They must have sent out a call on all Rebel channels.”

Has’lean pressed the comm controls.“Come in Blackbird this is the  _ True Shot II _ , what is the nature of your emergency.”

The reception was still awful. “--Defector--back up--”

Has’lean met Galdeena’s eyes. “Well?” she asked.

“We may not make it there in time for a fight, if there is one, but this sounds way too interesting to pass up. Lothal is hot with Imperials, and it would be a shame to miss all the fun.”

“Just what I was thinking, Commander!”

With an intercomm announcement to the rest of the small crew, Galdeena whipped the ship around and calculated the hyperspace route to Lothal.

Captain Faro stood on the bridge of the  _ Chimaera  _ with First Officer Griet at her side. Vanto sat at the comm station once more. Her gaze burned through the viewport glass as she awaited the arrival of the Inquisitors and all  _ that  _ entailed.

“Captain!” Senior Lieutenant Yve shouted from her position on tactical, “An unauthorized shuttle has left the bay. Something is scrambling our sensors. We can’t get a lock on it.”

“Activate tractor beam,” Captain Faro replied, her throat dry. Thrawn had made his move. She could not yet see his escape shuttle and assumed it must still be below the ship. “Do not let that shuttle escape.”  _ Please evade, Thrawn.  _

“Fore tractor beams are non-operational,” Yve called in surprise. 

Faro raised an eyebrow, wondering where this game would go. “Helm! Take us to position to utilize aft beams.”

At that moment a blast of light spewed from the helm control panel. “Captain!” Jenner at helm shouted. “The electrical system has malfunctioned. Switching to manual, but it will take a minute.”

The shuttle was visible in the viewport now and Faro couldn’t help but take a couple of steps forward. Suddenly the shuttle listed and for a second Faro thought he had been caught in the tractor beam somehow. Her breath snagged. But then, no, the shuttle listed again and moved into a position outside her view.

“Sensors, Braxley! Do you get a read on the ship?”

“Finally, Captain,” the lieutenant snapped. “It’s staying out of view, and out of range of the tractor beams. Not sure of the heading yet.”

“Helm, have we got control?” Though her tone was serious, Faro smiled inside. 

“Captain,” Commander Vanto called from comms. “We’ve got a transmission incoming from the Inquisitor’s shuttle. They will be arriving--Oh, another transmission incoming from the unauthorized shuttle.”

“Patch it through,” Faro said. 

“This is Mitth'raw'nuruodo,” said a deathly calm voice.

At those words, the bridge erupted into muffled alarm. As Thrawn had commanded, Faro and Eli had spread word of his treachery and Thrawn had been confined to the brig, or so everyone believed.

“ _ Silence _ ,” Faro hissed. 

Thrawn’s voice continued, “on board the shuttle currently evading your tractor beams. Captain Faro, I have a message for the whole of the  _ Chimaera _ .” 

She pursed her lips, wishing he had told her about this part of the plan. Then, without warning the intercomm switched on and Thrawn’s voice echoed throughout the ship.

“Can’t you switch that off?” Faro said, looking down at Vanto. 

“No, Captain! He’s overriding the signal. Somehow.” His eyes gave a glint of frustration that Faro had seen--and felt--before.

“ _ Chimaera _ crew, it has been my pleasure to serve alongside you, and I regret that our ways must part. It is a dissatisfaction with the Empire and its goals, not service on board our flagship that has set me on this course. So it is with regret what I have done, and though I am now your adversary, know that you all still have my utmost respect--”

Whether that was the end of the message or not, Faro wasn’t sure because at that moment there was an explosion on board that sent all the red alert chimes wailing.  _ Thrawn… _ Faro growled in her head.

Yve called out, clearly listening to her intercom headset, “Captain, Captain! We have a hull breach on the shuttle bay. A detonator started a chain reaction throughout the entire bay and--”

Another explosion rocked the ship with a deafening screech. “The TIE bay, Captain! It has also been lost and--another hull breach.”

“Seal all emergency bulkheads in the area! Casualties?” Faro shouted to Yve.

She replied, mystified. “None, Captain.” She listened to her comm a moment. “The entire area had been evacuated half an hour ago.”

“Captain,” Lieutenant Braxley began. “The Inquistors’ ship is within docking range--they’ve changed course. They’re following the shuttle. They’re headed coreward.”

Both ships appeared in the viewport and Karyn watched in horror for a moment. The Inquisitors’ ship, an Imperial Interceptor, began to fire on the shuttle and though the shuttle evaded, the interceptor was far more maneuverable. 

Unexpectedly, a volley of blasts raked the  _ Chimaera’s _ dorsal hull and Faro looked to Braxley at sensors. 

“It’s a squad of X class fighters, no sign of their carrier.” He said, shocked. “They’re--they’re going for the Interceptor.”

“Fire on the Rebel fighters,” Faro said, wondering where the hell they’d come from. 

“Captain,” Yve snarled, “the turbolasers are offline!”

“So we’re sitting-ducks?” Faro countered. 

“Negative,” Locke said at defensive. “Shields are fully operational.”

“Perfect,” Faro said, and though her tone held sarcasm, she silently cheered as she watched Thrawn’s shuttle dart and weave through the sprays of green and red laserfire. “Put a call out to the rest of the Seventh. Get us back up right now.”

“Aye!” Vanto called.

Another ship flew past the viewport and Faro recognized it as a F11 Corvette.  _ Flashy for a Rebel _ . The corvette fired its surprisingly powerful laser cannons at the interceptor and got a direct hit, sending it reeling to rimward. The F11 then joined up with the shuttle.

On some unseen cue, the shuttle and all the rebel fighters jumped to hyperspace and the Inquisitor’s Interceptor whirled about, clearly trying to lock on to the enemies’ possible locations.

Faro released a held breath. 

“They’ve escaped, Captain,” Braxley at sensors announced.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Faro said dryly. “Engineering.” She continued as Vanto patched her through, “What’s a time estimate on those repairs? Get the turbolasers back online. We can’t be stuck like this. Still no reports of casualties?”

“No casualties, Captain,” Ruby Creen said. “And yes, Captain. We’ll get started on repairs right away, should take...a while.”

“Where is the rest of the Fleet?” Faro declared to no one in particular. Her question was answered as the _ Avenger  _ and the Nihil came into view.

“They’d been sent to the eastern hemisphere on reconnaissance,” Vanto reported. 

“The Inquisitors are turning about,” Braxley said, more than a hint of alarm in his voice.

“Let them come,” Faro said, before turning to meet them at what was left of the  _ Chimaera’s _ hangar bay. 

* * *

 

The small contingent of Rebel ships entered normal space over Feresia and Thrawn released his quavering grip on the shuttle’s controls. All had gone well, astoundingly well, and he couldn’t help but think of times when he had allowed his adversaries to escape only to monitor their progress. He had to trust in his plan.

The ships all descended into a drizzle, and when they landed, Thrawn saw a familiar Twi’lek exit the F11 Corvette. It was Commander Galdeena. He raised an eyebrow, interested to see her reaction to his presence. 

Aves Nott exited his cruiser and met Galdeena at her ship, shaking her hand and exchanging pleasantries. He then approached Thrawn just as he disembarked the shuttle. 

“I hadn’t expected such an easy fight,” Nott said. “You must have cleared the way for us.”

“Of course,” Thrawn said with a faint smile. “You took a considerable risk to assist me.”

Nott waved off the statement.“You’ll repay us.”  _ There was no malice in that statement, but rather gratitude. His head inclined in a nod as he smiled. _ “Nice work on the hanger bay of the  _ Chimaera _ ,” he said as they stepped into the base. 

They were surrounded by the dozen or so others who had gone on the mission, most taking no real notice of Thrawn because they expected his appearance, but then there was a strangled gasp from the back of the group. Galdeena had finally seen him.

She caught up with Nott as soon as they got inside the base. “He’s a murderer, and you risk your lives--and the lives of anyone who responded to that distress call--to rescue him?” Galdeena paced in front of her crew, incensed.

“He defected,” Nott said. Thrawn caught the eye of a Bothan female who looked especially affronted.

Most of the denizens of the base went about their business, but a small contingent stood looking on as the argument took place in the center of their main hall.

“This man,” Galdeena said, pointing accusingly at Thrawn, “Destroyed my ship, decimated my squad of fighters!”

“You seem to be doing well enough now,” Nott countered. 

She rolled her eyes. “No thanks to him!”

“I know you, Commander,” Nott said. “I’ve heard of the good works you’ve done with your crew and partner Blanak Toorgen. You have both established a base of operations on Derra is that not correct?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, not following his trail of logic. 

“And who was it that brought you to Derra?”

“Unbelievable!” Galdeena said, but her tone shifted slightly.

Now the Bothan came forward, looking Thrawn up and down in assessment. “So, Blackbird,” she began, fixing Nott with her golden eyes. “You say that this man brought us to Derra intentionally and then _ let  _ us escape? What makes you think that?”  

“Because I told him so,” Thrawn said mildly. “I also told him how you and your allies were able to successfully defend against the Imperial attack on Corellia with the information I provided.”

Galdeena raised her voice to protest and then she saw it. “So you helped us then. Why?”

“So that we could all be together here now,” Thrawn said.

“Isn’t that sweet?” The Bothan growled, fur rippling. She turned to Nott. “Do you trust him?”

“With my life,” Nott stated evenly, eyes set on Thrawn’s.

Thrawn took a breath. The words were justified and logical; however, the tone and that glance struck Thrawn to the core.

Nott shifted tacks, motioning for the gathered crowd to disperse. “That’s enough of all this. You know, Commander Galdeena, we’ve got several Imperial defectors on this base. It’s not as uncommon as you think.” His statement had an unquestionable finality to it, and she nodded stiffly. He continued. “You and your crew make yourselves comfortable. We’ve got a raid planned in two days, and we’d like to have you along.”

Galdeena swelled with pride. “Thank you, sir. It would be an honor.” At that, she shook his hand, and her crew moved off to the left, mingling with some others they seemed to know in passing. 

Nott joined Thrawn after speaking with a few more of his compatriots. “Everyone is on edge. Galdeena’s just the only one who said anything.” As he spoke, he walked toward a hallway on the right.

“Are there others here who have met me personally?” Thrawn inquired.

“Not that I know of. That  _ would  _ make her more prickly, wouldn’t it?”  _ His stance was relaxed, his pace easy. _ “Meeting you face-to-face can be overwhelming. Though I suppose I was lucky enough to meet you when I had the upper-hand.”

Thrawn’s lips turned up slightly. “The Rebel campaigns must have been generally successful lately. You seem in high spirits.”

Throughout the last three months, Thrawn and Aves Nott had been in contact with one another several times a week. Utilizing a code, a heavily encrypted channel, and a frequency scrambler, they were able to speak of almost anything without fear of detection. Thrawn knew the Rebels had been achieving a modicum of success throughout the galaxy, but he wanted to hear Nott say so aloud.

Nott paused outside a door and put his hands on his hips. “I almost fear acknowledging it, but yes, things have been going well for us. It seems the tide is turning. Of course, you probably think you have had something to do with that.”

Thrawn shrugged. “I’ve been doing what I can.”

A greedy light shown in Nott’s eyes. “And now you’ll be able to do even more.” He motioned to the door. “Most people sleep in bunks with several others, but I thought you should have a private room for obvious reasons.”

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. “Obvious?”

Shaking his head, Nott opened the door. “Yes, if you had a roommate, they might try to kill you. I trust my people, but considering how even  _ I _ feel about you sometimes I thought it best you have a locked door between yourself and the rest of the base.”

“I hardly intend to keep myself locked away.” 

“At least when you sleep--excuse me, _ if  _ you sleep,” Nott said with a curl of his lips. 

The room was tiny, but had a bed and a small cabinet. Thrawn stepped inside and gave it a summative glance. “It is quite sufficient. Thank you.”

With a smile and a sharp nod, Nott began to turn then he stopped, putting a hand on the door frame. “I assume you didn’t get a chance to bring much with you. We have a storage locker of extra clothes and supplies. A change of clothes will likely help.” He looked pointed at Thrawn’s white Grand Admiral’s coat.

“Thank you,” Thrawn said.

“As you heard,” Nott continued, “we have a raid coming up and I expect you to be ready to help. So, do whatever research, ask any questions, and get any rest you need before then. You’ve got pretty much free rein here, but my officers know where you can and can’t go. If they put up any resistance, don’t fight them.”

“Of course. May I ask the circumstances of this raid?”

Nott smiled broadly. “There’s an Imperial convoy hauling supplies and personnel to establish a massive base of operations on Ansion.”

That was new information to Thrawn. “Why Ansion?” As soon as he asked, a sharp stab of realization hit him.

Nott seemed to notice Thrawn’s visible reaction and he stepped forward into the room. 

“I do not know for certain;” Thrawn began,” however, Ansion is the closest habitable and charted planet near Csilla. There is also a reliable hyperspace route going from that sector into the Unknown Regions.”

“You think they’re planning an invasion or something? I thought you had withheld the location of your home?”

Thrawn brought a couple of fingers to his lips. “I have, but perhaps the Emperor is tired of waiting and has plans to extract the information from me all the same.”

“Good thing you got out when you did.”

This was an unexpected complication, and Thrawn did not like those at all. In fact, he tried to avoid them at all costs. Perhaps this time he had been sloppy, and if he had missed this, he could have missed something else.

“It’s apparently a top secret mission,” Nott said, interrupting the flow of Thrawn’s thoughts. “And it’s happening across the galaxy from you. There was no way you could have known. We only just got the intel ourselves.”

“From whom?”

“Another inside man. Don’t know anything about him-- or her, I suppose. I think their signal originates from Coruscant. They get us lots of juicy information. It’s always proved reliable intel as well, so I don’t think this will be a wild fynock chase.”

Thrawn furrowed his brow. It seemed he would never learn all the many idioms of Basic. He supposed from the context this one meant “waste of time.” Nott laughed, and Thrawn realized it was the first time he had heard it. He smiled at his friend’s amusement.  _ Yes, most certainly a friend. _

“I forget you didn’t learn Basic as a kid. It means-”

“I understood,” Thrawn said congenially. 

“We’ll have a briefing about the raid at 09:00 tomorrow, so you can learn more then, and I’m hoping that’s when the rest of the base will learn what an asset you’ll be. I’m relying on you to show-off. I don’t want everyone to think I’ve been wasting time talking to you and bringing you here.”

“I do not show off. I do what each circumstance requires.”

“Sure.”

“And if I do ‘show off,’ I do so as much as you do.”

With another chuckle, Nott headed to the door. “I’ve got to go run some communications. Like I said, go where you want.”

“Thank you,” Thrawn said, watching as Nott departed his room. 

Shutting the door, Thrawn sat on his small bed and dropped to the floor the shoulder bag he’d packed. All that had happened in the last few hours rushed into his mind and he rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers. Captain Faro had put up as much of a fight as the damaged _ Chimaera  _ would allow, so hopefully the Inquisitors would not suspect much. He still was uncertain of Eli’s alliances, but he  _ was  _ certain Eli would act with the best interests of the crew in mind. After all, it was about saving lives that he and Eli had been clashing, and he seemed prepared to do anything for the people to whom he had a duty to protect. Colonel Yularen’s betrayal had been unfortunate, but not altogether unexpected. Thrawn just hoped Yularen would not uncover the Fulcrum agent who still operated on Lothal’s surface, or Captain Sulahan’s ship full of backup forces Thrawn had helped land only days ago. But, he told himself reluctantly, that was all Captain Faro’s job now. Thrawn had a new mission: serve in the Blackbird Rebel Cell, and this first assignment was more personal than he had imagined.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me on this long journey! I want you to know that the story is completed offline and I am editing chapters and posting them when I can.

After sending a brief update to Captain Faro, Thrawn spent the early morning exploring the base. The large, low building seemed to have once been a manufacturing center dating to the Republic era. The area that was now the wide open eating and gathering area had been a factory floor. Dilapidated machinery had been pushed into corners, and what had been an assembly line was being used for weapons prep with ammunition and repair stations. Thrawn rationalized that this had been some sort of criminal encampment long before Nightswan had taken over. There were peeling Separatist propaganda posters on the concrete walls as well as faded markings and insignia of criminal organizations Thrawn had seen through his years in the Empire. Lining the walls were newer partitions that had been installed by Nightswan and his people. These formed the partially open rooms that housed the briefing area, communications, intel, and the few “officers” the rebel cell had. 

No one seemed open to questions, but at the moment Thrawn was satisfied with silent observation. He sat at one of the long meeting tables in the center of the base and watched the people mill about him. Though Aves Nott had made it clear all his people had pledged some form of allegiance to the “Blackbird” cell, most people here were part of smaller crews or even partnerships. Groups were organized by clothing style or even by similar patches on their clothing. As fit with Nott’s “Nightswan” past, it was likely many of these people were pirates or smugglers still sporting their original loyalties.

In every Imperial military briefing Thrawn had ever attended, the only people present were the highest-ranked officers. He, himself, wasn’t allowed to attend a briefing until he had achieved the rank of captain, and even then there were many decisions made well above his head. While attendees waited for the General or Admiral, they sometimes spoke quietly but oftentimes all sat in silence contemplating, as Thrawn did, their battle strategies or, as many others did, their strategy to advance in the Empire and belittle the other officers in the room.  During the meeting itself, quiet discipline was expected and Thrawn was often among the few who asked questions. Others who spoke were often more interested in self-aggrandizement than the actual project at hand.

Thrawn had anticipated a different climate in a Rebel briefing, but he was still unprepared for what he saw.  _ Everyone _ in the base was in attendance instead of only officers, and the many pilots, technicians, and captains scattered in the room chatted amongst themselves, lounging on the chairs and tables. When Thrawn approached, they cleared a wide space at a table, continuing their rampant and cheerful conversations, though a ripple of tension passed through the crowd at his presence. When Aves Nott entered the room, the noise didn’t quiet as Thrawn imagined but rather grew louder as Nott greeted the room and chatter picked up between everyone.

“General Nott, why did you go and--”

_ General?  _ Thrawn thought.

“Well, I thought it was going to be--”

“And then she said that Marten was the one for her--”

“Stupid boy? He no good for her! She do better.”

“--couldn’t possibly intercept a freighter of that size!”

“Alright everyone, alright,” General Nott said, and the room finally grew quiet. A holoscreen rose from the middle of the table showing the quadrant of space where the raid was planned. Thrawn recognized the pattern of stars. Then, an overlay of a standard Imperial convoy materialized. It was an accurate representation in Thrawn’s opinion.

“Here is the location of the attack. We hope to corner them near the asteroid belt around Bilbringi. We’ll have our support ships and cruiser here, and we’ve got support from several other cells coming out of hyperspace here and here.” He indicated the locations on the holo.

“Grant,” Nott continued. “You’ll take Blue Squadron around here and, Galdeena, we’ll need your Gold Team coming in from coreward.”

“Right,” both Commanders said.

“Sir,” began a young human male with a Wild Space drawl who stood as near to Thrawn as anyone dared. “I thought we were planning to cut them off  _ before _ they got that far out.”

“After some additional consultations and planning,” Nott said, unperturbed by the question, “this has been decided instead.”

“It’s risky,” a female Rodian said. “We’ll be cut off from a lot of support, and with the asteroid belt, it’ll be hard to maneuver.”

“Hard for them to maneuver too,” Nott countered. 

“Yes, General,” the Rodian continued. “Maybe if I bring up a few fighters from below the asteroid belt that would help.”

“Yes,” Nott said, considering. “Good plan, Knina.” He turned back to the holo. “With your forces there and Captain Frenard coming in from rimward, we should be able to cut off the Star Destroyers from the support vessels and isolate some of the freighters here.”

Several members of the audience clearly knew more than Thrawn did because they chuckled with excitement. Others exchanged looks of anticipation.

“Once isolated,” Nott said, adjusting a dial and shifting the holo to an enlargement of an Imperial tech freighter, “we should be able to get Ragyar’s hull-splitter in here.” 

Now Thrawn understood. They were planning a robbery, not merely an attack.  _ Ragyar, that name seemed familiar.  _

Others in the group recognized the name as well because there were several groans, laughs, and excited chatter.

Nott ignored them all. “We’ll have to move fast, but we should be able to complete the operation before the ISDs break through.” He looked at the crowd for a moment. “Any questions? We’ll have a more detailed briefing morning before we ship out.”  

“If I may,” Thrawn said, and all eyes were on him: some held fascination, others critical interest, and some unfettered disdain. Nott’s eyes were polite as they turned to him. “General, the plan you’ve described is well-laid and should be sufficient for your goals.”

“Thank you,” Nott said, eyebrow raised.  _ His expression held...anticipation as he folded his arms.  _ Despite Nott’s casual reaction to the question, the tension in the room Thrawn had noted earlier built and thickened the air.

“May I inquire as to the commander of the Imperial convoy?” Thrawn continued.

_ Nott was surprised by the question, and he furrowed his brow, remembering _ . “Admiral Conrad? Yes, that was it.”

Thrawn nodded thoughtfully. “His style is one of brute strength and not finesse. He will be concerned with proving his effectiveness through the capture of a rebel crew or ship. It might be a better course of action to encourage the ISDs to  _ pursue _ your forces, leaving their freighters unprotected. Against Conrad, that would be more effective than a blockade.”

“Come on now, sir!” A human female up front called. “General, you’ll let him speak out after what he has done--?”

The rest of her words were lost when angry shouts of agreement spread throughout the crowd. The tension that had been mounting had found a release. Thrawn squared his shoulders and looked straight ahead at Nott. The flare-up did not last long.

“That’s enough, everyone,” Nott’s soft words cut through the outrage. “I know you might not approve of this man’s presence here, but that’s irrelevant. You’ve all chosen me as your leader, and as such, I make the decision about who serves at my side. I don’t hold much with military ranks, but if it will help you all respect authority, you’ll address the newest member of our company as Lieutenant Commander Thrawn.”

A new wave of dissent rumbled through the crowd; no one addressed their complaint above a whisper, but an occasional murmur was still clear enough.

“If there are no more _relevant_ questions,” Nott said, “Thank you, Lieutenant Commander, for your suggestion. I will take that into consideration before the final briefing. All dismissed.”

As the group filed out, several people-- the Bothan female from the _ True Shot II _ ; a human male; a Mon Cala; and, to Thrawn’s surprise, a Cyphari--shoved past him. Thrawn held still, meeting no one’s eyes.

Nott approached him as the last of the assembly broke off to their previous tasks. “I’m sorry about that.”  _ His brow furrowed as he shook his head. Then his downturned mouth shifted to a tight-lipped smile. _ “But, you shouldn’t have stayed on the wrong side so long.”

“I expected opposition to my presence here. It does not deter my course. As you said, I must prove myself valuable to your team.”

Nott nodded and began to walk toward a more private room. “I’ve no doubt you will. Come on with me and tell me some more about this Admiral Conrad.”

“Of course,  _ General _ .”

Nott smiled. “Was that a joke? Perhaps you’ll fit in after all.”

Thrawn returned the smile faintly.

They turned down a hall. “You know I’m not a military man,” Nott continued, “but rank is the way these cells organize. A lot of folks here used to be in the Imperial Academy at some point or another. Those who weren’t have just accepted it.” He met Thrawn’s eyes as he opened a door to an office. “This is war, after all.”

* * *

 

The woman’s armor covered her entire body and face, and her posture was one of vigilance to the point of pain. “I will ask you one more time,” her voice chilled the air, “who were Thrawn’s allies on board the  _ Chimaera _ ?”

Captain Faro sat at her desk, hands clasped before her. “As I’ve told you, Inquisitor, the Grand Admiral is a controlling and eccentric man. His strategies are often opaque. No one on board was ever certain what he was planning--not that it would be our place to ask. All of the crew were prepared to execute his every order without question. But allies, sir? None.” Karyn winced internally at her twisting of the truth. 

The Inquisitor slammed her hands on the desk. “If you had any doubts as to his methods, you should have contacted High Command.”

“High Command was alerted and they also disapproved of his methods. If you look into his records, you would see that he has been court-martialed many times. I am not certain why he was able to escape demotion. With this most...recent issue, I sent Commander Vanto as soon as I dared. As I said, the Grand Admiral--”

“Thrawn. He no longer has a position with the Empire. He is a fugitive.”

Faro felt a stab of loss at that but covered it with a formal smile. “Of course, Inquisitor: habit. As I was going to say, Thrawn commanded a tight ship and any unauthorized reports or comm connections were not tolerated. Commander Vanto’s report was risky.”

The Inquisitor stood and watched, deadly still. She seemed to believe Faro. “Very well. We shall conduct interrogations throughout the ship to see if we can find any other information. Thank you for your time, Captain.” Those last words sounded more like a threat than a kindness, but Faro nonetheless attempted an ingratiating smile. She hoped Eli was doing as well in his “meeting.”

 

Eli sat in the visitor’s chair in Thrawn’s office while the Inquisitor paced. “Yes, we’ve served together for years,” Eli said. “To be honest: I’m glad to be rid of him.” Eli had been summoning up and spewing out all the ill-feelings he’d ever had toward Thrawn for their entire relationship; he had been surprised by how much ire he held for his friend.

“Then what else can you tell me of where he might be going?” The Inquisitor was a sharp, angular man, but other than that Eli could tell nothing because his body was covered from head to toe in armor showing only a thin mouth and pale chin. Eli noticed with trepidation the lightsaber hooked to his belt.

“I’m pretty sure he had contact with several Rebel cells, but he doesn’t talk to anyone, doesn’t tell anyone anything, so as far as which ones or where, I’ve got no idea. Spectre, the cell on Lothal, would be a good place to start.” Eli winced internally, but he assumed the Inquisitors knew about that cell anyway,  _ and _ their location, so he wasn’t giving up much. Outwardly, he kept his face cruel. “All this time, those Rebels have been tearing our ships apart, and Thrawn was  _ helping _ them. You better take him down.”

The Inquisitor smiled evilly, and Eli’s stomach turned. “You really do hate your commander, don’t you?”

“He’s put me through a nightmare.”

“You said you have data cards for us.”

“Oh yes, sure do.” While Faro greeted the Inquisitors and brought them on board, Eli had been scouring Thrawn’s office data pad for files he could turn over just in case they asked. Of course, Thrawn had been very careful and thankfully there was nothing important or valuable, but Eli wasn’t going to tell _ them  _ that. “I copied the contents of his holoprojector, datapad, and his--”

“You’re very thorough.”

“Data’s my specialty,” Eli said, a prick of fear shooting up his spine.

The Inquisitor snatched the data cards and smiled again, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Perhaps you can assist me then. I need information on the rest of your crew. Someone was working with Thrawn. Someone was his ally. And I will find out who.”

Eli tried his best to keep his face focused on hating Thrawn, but he felt his fear and anger directed at this man nonetheless. “Of course. I’d be glad to help take down anybody who was willingly helping this traitor.” 

* * *

  
The night before the planned raid on the Imperial convoy, Thrawn sat on the edge of his bed, thinking. When he had enrolled in the Royal Imperial Academy, other cadets had tormented him almost daily. Never had those threats or taunts troubled him, but here he found it much more difficult to put such harassments out of his mind. Almost everyone avoided him and those who did not ignore him altogether cast him looks of contempt. 

 

He remembered that morning, he had gone into the common area to eat. The food here consisted of meal bars, pre-packed dried supplements and some  _ thing _ that one of the pilots had apparently caught in the Ferisian forest; he thought the food on board the  _ Chimaera  _ had been bad. Settling on a meal bar, he sat at one of the many long tables that filled the room and poured over his datapad for any news broadcasts on Rebel and Imperial activities as well as anything else of interest in the galaxy.

He heard someone sit across from him and looked up pleasantly only to see the scowling face of a Cyphari. “You,” she said with finality. Due to his limited contact with her people, the unusual shape of the Cyphari face and the fur covering her features, it was difficult for Thrawn to read much more into her expression than aggression.

“Good morning,” Thrawn had begun cordially. He was quite certain where this conversation was headed. “I have some--”

“Our croplands are still recovering from what you did to us.”

“I understand your concern. It was with regret that I had to act the way I did those years ago, but I made your people a promise, and I did the only thing I could to keep that promise. If I had not destroyed that vein of scarn beneath your lands your people would have continued to be accosted by the colonists, and that piece of land would have been eventually destroyed by smugglers searching for spice.”

She stared at him for a moment, large eyes blinking slowly. “You hide behind your words.” A few others, humans and a Rodian, approached and flanked her.  _ Their stances and expressions held challenge, but also a certain degree of restraint. _

“You can’t hide here,” she finished, before walking away with her small entourage.

 

Now, sitting on his bed, he thought back to that night on Cyphar years ago. No one had been pleased with him, not the Cyphari, not the Empire. No one except Eli. He had been impressed, but even Eli had thought Thrawn’s actions were harsh. Thrawn felt he had done what was necessary. To him, it was the best course. And now, he sat in a Rebel base planning an attack on an Imperial convoy. Again, because he felt it was the best course. Thrawn swallowed hard and lay back on the bed. 

His mind drifted back to his early days in the Expansionary Defense Fleet and his constant reprimands and punishments. When he was 15, at the end of a day of training, Commander Ina'sanae'nuruodo glared down at Thrawn as he lay on his back recovering from an especially vicious sparring match. 

“Get up!” She snapped and he jumped to his feet, reluctantly dropping a hand from his throbbing ribs.

She walked around him, sizing him up. “You say you wish to be a commander? Don’t you think you’re a bit small for that?”

He stood still, clenching his teeth.

“What you really need to learn is discipline. No one will follow a Chiss who is reckless.”

Against Thrawn’s better judgment, he countered, “No one should blindly follow orders, and no one should follow someone who does. Creative thinking is what makes a good leader--”

“Silence,” his commander hissed. “Let’s see how creative you can be tomorrow as you clean the barracks in punishment for your subordination.”

He tightened his jaw and looked straight ahead, keeping his protests to himself.

Staring up at the ceiling in his room at the Rebel base he pondered his many years of telling himself _ he _ was right,  _ others _ were wrong, and he would  _ prove _ it. He came all the way across the galaxy to prove a point. To show the Chiss that the Empire could be the ally they had been waiting for. Or else…

But what if he had been wrong? Perhaps he should have stayed in the Ascendency. Perhaps Eli would have been better off as a supply officer, and certainly the  _ Chimaera’s _ crew would be in a better state now if he had never been there. He imagined the dark-clad Inquisitors stalking the halls of his ship-- and sat up against the headboard, pressing his thumbs to his temples. He took a deep steadying breath.

He could not waver in his course. He could not doubt. If he doubted  _ himself _ that would be the end. Taking another few breaths, he lay down once more and tried to settle his mind, but he was wide awake. 

 

The next morning, Thrawn rose at 05:00, his usual time. When he exited the room, what he saw on the front of his door gave him pause. Several defaced Imperial recruitment flyers had been plastered to the thin wood. One showed a picture of Star Destroyers arcing across a sunset sky, but the destroyers had been altered with read paint to resemble male anatomy. Another originally had read “Join the Empire and bring peace to the galaxy” but a heavy black scrawl changed the words to “...and kill the innocent.” His whole door was covered with them. 

From the left, Thrawn heard footsteps and turned to see a somewhat familiar human face. He was a cheerful blond Thrawn had seen in the communications room. 

“Tough luck that.” His accent was from some of the lower levels of Coruscant--sharp and clipped, but his tone was friendly. 

“Tough luck?” Thrawn asked.

“The door, eh? Did things like that to me when I arrived.” He held out a hand. “Clemente Decker. Former Lieutenant of the Imperial Navy.”

“Ah,” Thrawn nodded, shaking his hand. “I see.”

“But it stopped eventually. They learned I was just like them. I’d been deceived by the Empire like they had. The Empire stabs everyone in the back--both outsiders and their own. Though,” he continued as they walked, “You were certainly treated better than average-- a non-human too and rising through the ranks like that.”

“I believe that my success was  _ not _ purely tied to my own merit. I believe the Emperor had ulterior motives. But since our motives were aligned I had little reason to complain.”

“Right-o.” It seemed Clemente did not fully understand. “Either way: even though you were Grand Admiral whatsit, they’ll get over it.”

“Thank you for your support, Clemente,” Thrawn said as they entered the main room of the base.

“Anytime!” Clemente gave Thrawn’s should a pat and went off to get breakfast. 

As Thrawn walked amongst the groups of Rebels, he pondered Clemente’s words. The Empire did, in fact, stab everyone in the back eventually.

 

During the final briefing before the mission, Nott laid out a more detailed offensive, clearly influenced by the information Thrawn had provided about Admiral Conrad’s style. More Rebels had arrived from, presumably, nearby bases, for the number in the room this time had swelled to nearly 100. The Rebels obviously took this meeting more seriously and asked more questions before finally all the squads broke off to prepare. Thrawn stood still having not been assigned to any team. 

Nott called after Commander Galdeena and her crew. “Saria!” 

_ She stopped, gestured for the rest of her crew to continue, and turned to him with wide eyes and a slight smile. An open and trusting face.  _ “Yes, General?”

“Do you think you could add one more to your crew?”

“Sure! We could actually use another set of hands on a gunner position,” she replied good-naturedly, but the Bothan with her began to look skeptical. Thrawn had overheard the Bothan was called Has’lean.

“That’s just fine then, you can take Thrawn with you,” Nott said with a twinkle in his eye.

Saria Galdeena’s eyes flew open and she moved her mouth to protest, but then she seemed to think better of it and instead glared at Thrawn.

“I think this is quite the opportunity,” Has’lean hissed. 

“I will follow your orders, Commander,” Thrawn said, stepping forward and speaking to the females. “Please allow me to express my loyalty.”

_ Has’lean folded her arms, eyes narrow _ . “You had better.”

Galdeena said nothing, but led the way, and Thrawn followed them both. 

 

Thrawn had not been allowed to enter the hangar in his earlier explorations, so when the door slid open he was a little shocked. 

The variety of ships was astounding: there were star fighters ranging in age from brand new to decades old, light freighters that had been outfitted with gun turrets and heavy shielding, corvettes that had clearly been modified for speed and firepower, a beautifully designed black Corellian cruiser, and finally medical ships, shuttles and other support ships that were Imperial designs.

Galdeena, Has’lean, and a few others gathered outside their _ True Shot II _ , and Thrawn moved to join them. 

“Ok everyone, load up, I’m going to speak with the Lieutenant Commander here,” Galdeena said, and with reluctance, her team followed her orders.

She whipped around to Thrawn, her lekku flipping so fast they almost hit him in the face. “You will not be on gunner position,” she said, and then paused, seemingly to wait for him to protest. “I will have you in the cockpit with me to keep an eye on you. Besides, you’re a strategist, right. Maybe you can strategize.”

“That is agreeable, Commander. You lead Gold squadron, correct, so those are the other ships in our team?”

“Right,” she answered, sounding a little suspicious.

“May I examine the ships? I do not have familiarity with these particular fighters.”

“Go ahead, but I’m coming with you.”

“Very well.”

There were two X-style fighters as well as a modified light freighter, and that was it. Thrawn pressed his lips together walking amongst the few ships.  _ The X-wings are maneuverable, and the freighter less so, but more heavily shielded.  _ He looked beneath the freighter.  _ Also more formidable guns. _ He walked around the ships again, and finally ran a hand along the hull and came back beside Galdeena. “I’ve seen what I require.”

“Glad to be of service,” she said blandly.

 

The Imperial convoy had only three Star Destroyers as warships, the rest were luxury cruisers, medical ships, support vessels and a slew of freighters. There were twice as many freighters as had been shown in Nott’s holo. By Imperial design, all the ships were armed, which meant the added freighters could be problematic. Thrawn hoped the extra support Nott spoke of would arrive in time. 

Gold Squadron had come out of light speed in the midst of the asteroid belt, remaining cloaked from the convoy for now. As Thrawn watched, Blue and Green squadron arrived as well, both also in the asteroid belt. Thrawn took a deep breath from his seat behind Galdeena. Has’lean had already abandoned the co-pilot’s seat to take a gunner position, and Thrawn was alone with his new commander. 

“Frenard ought to arrive at any minute, and that’s when the action will start,” Galdeena said, speaking to herself more than Thrawn. 

“I hope he arrives shortly. The sensors will pick us out soon enough,” Thrawn added. “Perhaps if the ships were to cut power--” As he spoke, he heard the whir of engine shut down from  _ True Shot II _ and saw the lights flick out from the surrounding rebel ships as well.

“You were saying?” Galdeena purred.

It was then that Frenaud and his squad appeared, jumping to normal space within a few kilometers of the ISDs and immediately strafing the command towers. 

Thrawn held his breath: what a daring attack. He found himself hoping the ISDs had their passive shields engaged because otherwise, that would have been a killing strike. It appeared they had. Green blasts from their laser cannon targeted the rebels, but their few ships easily dodged. 

“Gold squadron: move out,” Galdeena said calmly, powering up the  _ True Shot II _ engines and pushing the thrusters forward. 

Their squad would continue the assault on the ISDs, attempting to break them off from the ships they were protecting. Thrawn hoped Conrad would take the bait.

“Hold on tight,” Galdeena said in the intercom. She punched the thrusters, and they shot off toward another of the Star Destroyers. The fighters wove in an elaborate formation, targeting shield generators and gun turrets.

“Commander,” Thrawn said, moving to the seat beside her. “May I communicate with Blue and Green Squadron.”

Dodging a stray shot, she said,  “I’ll say whatever it is.”

“They must change position and prepare for attack. The Imperials will have noticed our location in the asteroid field when we moved toward them. They will likely bombard the area in hopes of flushing out other Rebel ships.”

Galdeena turned to him for only a second before calling Blue and Green squadrons to make his recommendation. It was a good thing she did because Thrawn’s prediction had been correct. Moments after Blue and Green had shot from the asteroid belt, one of the ISDs fired a wide volley into the area. Galdeena gave Thrawn a look and then focused again on the battle at hand.

The attack progressed according to plan, and the backup did arrive. Thrawn had never seen such a large Rebel fleet. Conrad had done as expected and drawn two of his ISDs away from the convoy to chase the Rebels. 

Then, to coreward, Ragyar’s hull-splitter appeared like a huge dark cloud, materializing out of hyperspace right at the nose of the nearest ISD. They collided with a screech; the impact threw both ships off-kilter, but it was the Star Destroyer that listed hard to coreward and struck two Imperial support vessels, destroying them in a blast of flame. 

The hull-splitter was massive and had the vaguely organic shape of a squat centipede. More than three times the size of the Imperial freighters, it was almost as wide as a Star Destroyer. And now Thrawn remembered where he had heard of Ragyar: A feared pirate who hunted along the Outer Rim, Ragyar had been an associate of Nightswan’s that Thrawn had read about in reports. 

Almost as soon as it arrived, the hull-splitter began to do as its name suggested, and all Rebel ships fell in to protect it as it worked. The ship did not seem to need protection: it’s shielding and armor plating seemed impervious. From his vantage point, Thrawn saw giant grasping claws clamp around the freighter. He assumed there must have been a mechanism breaking through the hull as well, but he couldn’t see it. It was over in a couple of minutes, and the giant ship pulled back, leaving huge indentations and hull breaches on the freighter. Then, in horror, Thrawn saw the gaping hole left behind by the machine. Though he knew the emergency bulkheads would have locked into place, the exposed area was still large enough to kill many onboard.

The hull-splitter jumped to Hyperspace and the rest of the fleet attacked the support ships, while the other two ISDs rushed back in a futile attempt at protection. While Thrawn had been watching the hull-splitter, Green Squadron had overtaken the ISD that had been damaged and Thrawn now saw it was scuppered, command tower destroyed. 

“Fall back all squadrons,” Nott’s voice came over the comm, and it was then Thrawn noticed Nott’s black Corellian cruiser in the distance. Thrawn was certain, however, that Nott has been there observing all along.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your support, views, and comments. I know there has been a long time between chapters, but I assure you, it will be finished! Please check out the companion fic to this one titled "Working Relationship" that I published the other day!

 

“Let him go at once!” Faro shouted, rushing down the hallway to where that woman Inquisitor was quite literally lifting her first officer off his feet. 

“I am conducting an interrogation, Captain,” she snarled when Faro drew near, her mask removed from her face showing pale skin and bright eyes. “Are you interfering?” She dropped Griet from her gloved hand and turned to Faro as her first officer stumbled back, catching his breath.

Faro squared her shoulders. This Inquisitor and the other one who she called her “brother” had been on board the  _ Chimaera _ for nearly 12 hours conducting their interrogations, and Faro was getting tired of it. Though everyone had cooperated and stayed clear of blame, the Inquisitors continued to insist. She hoped this female one hadn’t finally gotten something out of Harmon. 

“I would not wish to interfere,” Faro said calmly, “but it is my responsibility to keep my crew safe, and you are endangering them. We have given you all we know, so please allow us to return to our  _ important  _ duties.” Toward the end, her teeth had begun to clench. 

“Very well.” The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes and smiled evilly. Her gaze rested on Griet as she continued to address Faro.  “This is not over, Captain. I know there is someone on board this ship who was in league with that alien, Thrawn, and when we find out who it is, he or  _ she  _ will be eliminated.” 

The Inquisitor’s comm buzzed and, with a lingering glare at Griet, she strode down the hallway to answer the call.

Releasing a held breath, Faro took Harmon’s shoulder. “Are you alright?”

He met her gaze, eyes wild. “Cap-- _ Karyn _ . She was saying… she said--”

“Easy, Harmon,” Faro said, putting a hand on his other shoulder. “Take a breath.”

“You know what I told you about the Force. About how I feel it sometimes?”

She nodded, face hardening with resolve.

“That Inquisitor said she was onto me.” Griet said, eyes wide. “She said she’d get me next. What did she mean? What are we going to do about them?”

Faro squeezed his shoulders. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. I won’t let them get you. They’ll be gone soon enough.”

Then Faro heard the click of heels coming back. 

The Inquisitor sounded...pleased. “The Seventh Fleet is currently without a commander. A condition soon to be remedied.” Again her eyes firmly locked on Griet. 

Faro stepped in front of him. 

The Inquisitor moved past them, marching confidently toward the hangar bay. “My brother and I will be leaving you… for now. Your cooperation has been adequate.”

Faro turned to Griet. “I’ve got to follow her and make sure she leaves,” she whispered. “Get back to your quarters.” 

Griet opened his mouth to protest.

“I won’t hear it, Harmon. To your quarters: that’s an order. Stay on your comms and let me know if anything unusual happens.”

Eyes downcast, Griet nodded and hurried toward the barracks. 

With a heaving breath, Faro called Commander Ruby Creen. 

“Yes, Captain?” Her harried voice came.

“Commander, I need you up here. I’m tailing the female Inquisitor, and she says they’re leaving. I need eyes on the male to confirm. Vanto was watching him, but make sure he’s ok.”

“Right,” Creen answered.

Then Faro called Yve to get a couple of guards stationed outside Griet’s door. She couldn’t be too careful. Finally, she rushed down the hallway after the Inquisitor, her mind fearfully split between the safety of her First Officer and who was coming to take command of the Seventh Fleet. 

* * *

 

As different as the Rebel’s planning and execution of the battle had been from the Imperials, the celebration afterward was remarkably similar. Scattered about the common room the many different crews drank merrily and sang a myriad of songs, most of which Thrawn had never heard, but the themes were common: new love, lost love, and the glory of battle. There was also a large roasted animal, again likely caught from the forest of Ferisia, though this time it looked more appetizing. Thrawn sat on the periphery thinking back on the day.

 

Upon arrival at the Ferisian base following their victory against the Imperial convoy, a carefully selected crew had approached the hull-splitter with Nott to assess their cargo. From his position near the _True Shot II_ , Thrawn watched Nott angrily point between Ragyar and his ship. Though Thrawn could hear no words, he imagined Nott had some complaints about the pirate’s brutal battle tactics. Though, Thrawn also knew that Nott could not argue with the results. The stolen cargo would be immensely valuable to the Blackbird cell. The Imperial freighter they’d attacked was one used to haul satellites, generators, and communications equipment. If the Empire had been planning to establish a base on Ansion, it is likely that freighter carried all Nott needed to upgrade this base to modern Imperial standards. Which, Thawn noted, would be a considerable improvement.

After a few moments, Ragyar had appeased Nott enough that the small group entered the ship via a sphincter-like doorway.The  _ Hull-Splitter’s  _ design was remarkably biological from that odd door to its curved lines and articulated hull. Thrawn had never seen such a design, not even in the Unknown Regions. 

As impressive as his ship was, Ragyar was not to be outdone: with a long beard, a scarred face and gaudy jewelry, the human pirate stood out in a crowd. Thrawn was relatively certain he’d read in the records that Ragyar hailed from Carlaxia: as far on the outskirts of Wild Space as one could be without being in the Unknown Regions. 

Thrawn could also understand why some of Blackbird’s people didn’t get along with him. Though there were many bounty hunters, pirates, and smugglers here, no others had quite the unabashed arrogance. Though, in Thrawn’s opinion anyway, he had reason to be smug. 

Striding up to Ragyar after Nott and his team left, Thrawn held out a hand in customary human greeting. “Your ship is impressive,” he said.

Ragyar gave a thundering laugh. “Well, well! I thought I saw you lurking over there. I gotta say, when Aves Nott told me he’d gotten Grand Admiral Thrawn, I didn’t believe. I thought your mouth was so firmly clamped to the Emperor’s cadingle they’d have to cut you off. I stand corrected.”

Thrawn stared at him blankly for a moment. Though the words were unclear, the meaning was simple enough. “I have always been doing what I believe to be right, Captain. My allegiance has changed because I know this is the right course.”

Another thundering laugh. “Well said! I respect a man who’ll change his mind. Most people stick to their blasters even if the kriffing thing’s about to explode. I’ve heard a lot about you. Word travels through the channels, you know.” He raised a knowing eyebrow and then shifted his tone. “So you like the ship, eh? Quite a beauty. I’ve only had her about a year, so I’m still learning all the ins and outs. She’s got quite a few tricks up her sleeves.”

“Where, may I ask, did you find this ship?” Thrawn said, looking over its hull. As he expected, it looked like no metal he had ever seen. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and knot began to form in his chest. 

“Found her!”

Thrawn’s eyes shot open.

“Yes! I know that’s hard to believe. She was adrift near the Kittyan Cluster. I know you’re familiar with that area. You’re a Chiss, and your people come out that far.”

“Your knowledge of the Unknown Regions is extensive,” Thrawn said, keeping the suspicion out of his tone. 

Ragyar laid a finger to his nose. “Not many others pirating out there. It’s a good business.”

Thrawn nodded solemnly. “Perhaps you will allow me to see the rest of the ship?”

“Yes, of course. Love showing off my girl.” He slapped it’s hull jovially. Despite Ragyar’s cheerful disposition, Thrawn couldn’t help but feel as though a dark omen had reared its head.

 

Thrawn was jostled from his thoughts back to the base’s common area, surrounded by the celebratory rebels. Aves Nott had sat down beside him, _his cheeks and nose reddened slightly from drink, and his face significantly warmer than normal._ “Sitting alone?” He said, his voice loose. “You should be with the crew of the _True Shot II_.”

“I am thinking. This day has given me much to consider.” 

His companion nodded with a smile. “I’m sure it has. I saw you talking to Ragyar. Some ship, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Thrawn said, unsure if he wanted to divulge all his thoughts on the  _ Hull-Splitter.  _ “I was surprised you would allow such a brutal attack on your watch. There must have been a significant number of casualties on that Imperial freighter.”

Nott frowned and looked out at the room. “It wouldn’t have been my first choice. I told Ragyar to be careful. But… times change. Look where you are now. We can’t always stick to our morals.”

Thrawn nodded solemnly, searching his mind for the right words. But with a clench of his jaw, he kept silent.

“Since you’re in a business mood, come with me,” Nott said. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Nott led Thrawn into his small makeshift office. Thrawn was again struck by how impersonal it was. There were shelves of data cards, a holo projector, and a slew of datapads and screens. A couple of pieces of shrapnel (presumably trophies from successful missions) and a blue stone decorated his desk, and that was all. He took a seat in a corner chair.

“I shared your information on the Death Star,” Nott said, sitting on the edge of the desk.  _ Heat rushed to his face, eyes filled with anticipation. _ “Mon Mothma and her people were very interested, and she wants to put together a strike team. I just got a message about it.” 

Thrawn leaned forward, eyes widening. “A strike team?” he asked skeptically.

“We need to take that thing out before they can finish it. Hard to tell what they’re trying to do with it, but if the stats you gave me are accurate it would have more firepower than--than anything we’ve seen before.”

Thrawn nodded calmly though his mind was racing. “I do not dispute that; however a strike team is… underestimating what is necessary. I know that the information I provided to you on the project specifies the highly protected nature of the building site. Additionally, the Death Star itself is heavily fortified. Surely a simple strike team would not be sufficient.”

“‘Simple’ wouldn’t be the word for it.” Nott said. “Mothma’s been bringing everyone together, trying to form an alliance against the Empire instead of just fragmented cells. Not everyone likes the idea, but I’m behind it, and I bet this Death Star will convince plenty of people that it’s time to join together. With so many in her forces, she’ll be able to put together one hell of a team to take out that monstrosity.”

Thrawn raised his eyebrows.  _ His friend’s body thrummed with excitement at the prospect. _ “I do not wish to dampen your spirits, but the likelihood of success in this venture is low. This type of attack is unprecedented--”

Nott gave a bark of a laugh. “That’s why we’re likely to succeed, Thrawn. The Empire thinks they are impenetrable. All we’ve got to do is jab one hole into them and they’ll start to crumble.”

Contemplating, Thrawn sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers. Yes, the Empire was far from faultless. Thrawn had seen the cracks forming around the edges as soon as he was out of the Academy, but the Rebellion often had a tendency to recklessness that could lead to destruction.

“You do not yet know the location of the Death Star nor the best course of attack,” Thrawn said quietly.

Nott smiled and shook his head. “You really do think you’re the only one in the galaxy who’s got a head on his shoulders, don’t you? We’re not going into this blindly. The plan has only just begun to take shape.”

Thrawn stood. “Keep me informed of the developments.”

“You know I will. Going to sleep?”

“To my quarters, yes.”

Nott shook his head again.  _ It was an exasperated motion or perhaps amused? As his eyes lifted there was an unusual light in them.  _ “Good night.”

* * *

 

After 12 hours of prodding and interrogating, the Inquisitors _  had  _ finally  left. Faro knew she should have received word from Thrawn by now, and she certainly had much to report to him. Who would come to lead the  _ Seventh _ ? And why did the Inquisitors show so much interest in Griet?

She entered her quarters and brought up the lights then pressed the panel by her bunk to reveal the secret compartment where she stored a box of personal effects and the non-Imperial datapad Thrawn had given her several months ago. There was a blinking message indicator light, and her heart pounded in her chest. Someone could have intercepted him, taken the datapad and sent a message, or perhaps it was an hours-old distress call. She opened the message and held her breath while she waited for it to load and play.

Before the first words of the message, and between every few sentences, there was the garbled sound of encryption. “Captain,” It was unmistakably Thrawn’s voice, and he sounded calm. A huge sigh escaped her and she rested her head against the bed frame. “I have safely reached my destination. All is in order, and I will contact you again shortly.”

She clambered into her bunk with the datapad, settled into her pillows, and hesitated. Though she was using her personal datapad and though she had worked with Vanto to make sure the transmissions were encrypted, she felt anxiety. The way those Inquisitors had invaded every privacy of the  _ Chimaera _ , she couldn’t help but worry for a moment if she was safe. Nibbling on her lip, he finally decided she didn’t have a choice. Thrawn had to know what had happened. With a sigh, she began to record her response wishing she had something better to report.

 

Eli stood on the bridge, grateful that male Inquisitor was no longer stalking behind each station, glaring at the officers. Though their departure held ill omens, Eli was grateful they’d gone. It had been way too long since he last slept. Commander Creen had told Eli she was still needed below decks for repairs, but that First Officer Griet should come out of hiding and relieve him any minute now that the coast was clear of Inquisitors.

“Incoming call… for the Grand Admiral,” Ensign Martinique called up warily from the comm station. 

Eli’s eyes widened. “What channel?”

“Encrypted, sir.”

“I’ll take it in the Grand Admiral’s office,” Eli said, already on his way out. Encrypted? He had a pretty good idea who was contacting them. 

He brought up the lights higher than Thrawn ever kept them, partly to chase away the image he still held of being interrogated in there by the Inquisitor. When he reached the desk, he called the bridge. “Put it through.”

As expected, the voice was garbled and instead of a face, there appeared a strange pointed symbol. “This is Fulcrum with a report for the Grand Admiral.”

“He’s not here. This is Commander Eli Vanto.” He took a breath. “By the light of Lothal’s Moons.”

If Fulcrum was surprised, it sure didn’t show in the voice. “The Rebels are planning a major offensive on Lothal’s Imperial forces with allies from other cells.”

Eli grimaced. A major offensive? So far, the  _ Chimaera _ had been helping aid get through the blockade and protecting the rebellious populace from too much harm. But now, it really was war. And with a deep breath, he remembered that he’d already picked a side.   

“They’ve picked a good time for it,” Eli said with more regret in his voice than he’d like. “The  _ Chimaera _ is damaged, and High Command is about to deploy a new commander to the fleet. Things are  _ pretty  _ unstable right now. We’ll keep our ship offline as long as possible, and I’ll see if I can get some fleet and ground forces sent away on a wild mynock chase. If you can contact them, tell the Rebels to attack as soon as possible.”

“Understood. Fulcrum out.”

Never said more than he had to. Keying off the comm, Eli propped his elbows on the desk, hands clasped beneath his chin. Who knows how long they’d have before the Inquisitors came back. Eli had to move now. He keyed the comm back on and called the  _ Ajax _ .

When Commodore Marinith came on the line, his voice was strained. “What’s going on Commander?”

“Look, Commodore, I really don’t have time to explain everything, but I’m gonna need you to lead a team to Oon to investigate a disturbance.”

“A disturbance?” He sounded incredulous. “What manner of disturbance?”

“The urgent kind.”

The silence on the line told Eli that Marinith was weighing the situation. Thrawn had told Eli that Marinith was one of his  _ trusted  _ associates. “Trusted” being code for those in on “Operation Thrawn.” Eli just hoped Thrawn was right--and that Marinith would listen to Eli in Thrawn’s absence. 

“Where is Captain Faro?” Marinith asked after a moment.

Eli winced. “She’s off-duty right now, Commodore. We need someone over at Oon now. We had a report of violent insurgent activity near the Zygerrian trading post.

“Yes, Commander.” Marinith said finally, a twinge of secret acknowledgment in his tone. “I will take the  _ Avenger _ and a team of escort frigates. Anything further?”

“Stick around on Oon for a while, Commodore-- to make sure the insurgents get the idea.”

“Yes, sir. _ Ajax  _ out.” 

Taking a fortifying breath, Eli called the bridge. “Ensign, is First Officer Griet on duty yet?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Have him meet me in the Grand Admiral’s office.”

“Yes, sir.”

Eli clicked off the comm and let his eyes wander over the room. Over the years he’d known Thrawn-- especially the early years-- he’d wished over and over than something would happen to split them apart. He’d wanted to get back to his own life, his own plans. As time had gone by, he had that thought less often, but still every now and again, he’d wanted Thrawn to go his separate way. Now that it had happened, Eli didn’t feel the satisfaction or freedom he’d hoped for. There was a buzz at the door and Eli opened it. 

“How’s it going, Harmon?” Eli said in greeting. “I heard those Inquisitors gave you more trouble than everyone else.”

The redhead looked as tired as Eli felt as he plopped down in the seat in front of him. “I’m alright, Commander,” he said, and then lowered his voice. “Ensign Martinique said we had an encrypted message come in?”

“That’s right. We’ve got some scrambling to do. Let me explain what’s going on.”

As Eli spoke, he hoped he knew what he was doing. 

* * *

 

The next morning, the base was a flurry of activity as the rebels unloaded the Imperial freighter and began refitting their base with the new supplies. It was as Thrawn had surmised: there was a new satellite array, three top of the line shield generators, a commlink board to replace the ancient one they had, and many more pieces of machinery he didn’t get a good look at. Nott had sent Thrawn down to the hangar bay to assist Commander Enwright set up some of the new tech droids, but the commander looked less than pleased. 

“General Nott said you’ve got some experience with droids?” she asked, disdain barely covered in her tone. She was humanoid, but he had never seen her species before. With large eyes and claws she looked like a creature that belonged high in a tree. 

“That is correct. I am not familiar with these specific models, but it appears they are best-suited for repair work.”

Expression dull, she sighed. “Can you program?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Program them and run a mind wipe.”

“Of course, Commander, but would it not make more sense to attempt a data retrieval, and see if there is anything useful to be gleaned from their data memories?”

_ Heat rushed to her face and her nostrils flared _ . “Go ahead.” 

“Thank you, Commander.”

Giving him one last sour look, she stalked to a nearby console and set about a task, fingers moving furiously. 

Thrawn frowned slightly, watched her for a moment, and then squatted down to plug the diagnostic port into the first of twelve droids. Again he reminded himself that resistance to his presence was to be expected. Nott had meant for his appointment as Lieutenant Commander to bring him authority, but as with his Lieutenant rank at the Royal Imperial Academy, it could also cause jealousy and spite. Was the aggression toward him solely because of his previous position? Was it his rank? Was it his species? He added this tangle of thoughts into his current list of comparisons between the Rebels and the Empire. There were more similarities than he had expected.

After a few minutes, he put the attitude of Commander Enwright behind him as he engrossed himself in the task at hand.  _ A concrete and finite problem with laid out steps and a clear goal in mind.  _ It had been a long time since he had had such a simple job. The droids were so new, it appeared, that they had not been loaded with any data, so therefore both the mind wipe and possible extraction of useful data were not needed. He moved to each one, nonetheless, running a diagnostic, and when it was complete programming it to be compatible with the machinery at the Blackbird base.

When he was about halfway through, Commander Enwright stepped up to him with another beside her. “Lieutenant Commander,” she began, her tone lively, “Looks like they need some help in the grease trap.”

Thrawn stood and looked to the man beside Enwright. He was human and wore a nasty smirk. “Yup, come along. I’ll show you where to go.”

“Commander,” Thrawn began, “Would you not like for me to continue this task?”

Though she was a few inches shorter than him, she marched up and got as close to his face as she could. “I heard you liked to talk back, Lieutenant Commander. I don’t take backchat. I gave you an order, so you’ll go with Mr. Grax to clean out the grease traps. Is that clear?”

Appearing unfazed, Thrawn looked down at Enwright. “Of course, Commander.” 

Her lip curled. “I also hear you like being in charge of things, so I think you’ll need a promotion. You’re Commander of the grease trap.”

Grax sniggered as Enwright looked pointedly at Thrawn.

“Thank you, Commander,” Thrawn smiled tightly. His gaze then leveled on Grax. “Lead the way, sir.” 

 

They traveled through the drizzly underbrush to walk around the outside edge of the base. Commander Enwright, Thrawn decided, would have fit right in alongside many of the self-important commanding officers Thrawn had met in his earlier days of the Empire. He would use the same strategy to handle these commanders as he used in the Empire: hopefully to the same effect. 

Grax led Thrawn to a large indentation in the leaves which he realized was the lid to a giant tank. A single crank stood on the outer edge of the clearing, and Grax strode over to the crank and turned it. A small porthole opened up and the thick odor of rancid oil filled the air.

“This is where all the grease drains from the hangar bay,” Grax explained. “Sometimes the entry pipe gets clogged and it’s gotta get cleaned. Only one way in,” he said, motioning to the narrow porthole. “What you’ve got to do is find the pipe leading in,” he pointed roughly to the left, “and scrape it out. Messy job though ‘cause you’ve gotta go through the grease trap.” He smiled wickedly and then tossed a bedraggled scrub brush at Thrawn’s face.

Thrawn caught it deftly and walked over to look down the porthole. The stench was even worse as he grew closer, but Thrawn put on a practiced smile. “Thank you for you instruction. I assure you the pipe will be unclogged in a timely manner.”

_ Grax’s eyes widened and he cocked his head to the side. He did not receive the reaction he expected. _ “Right. Well, I should hope so with your record of ‘problem-solving.’ Good luck,  _ Commander _ ,” he said in a tone that distinctly meant the opposite, and stomped back through the damp to the front of the base.

Gazing up at the dripping canopy, Thrawn heard the gentle chirping of birds and took one last gulp of the fresh, wet air. 

 

His mind whipped back to a long-ago afternoon in the Mitth family garden. He darted through the bushes and made a flying leap into a ly’sly’mon tree. A twig snapped across his cheek, but he ignored the sharp pain and climbed higher in the branches. Rough bark beneath his hands, feet slipping and searching for a place to grip. In moments, he was in the canopy looking out over the wall and across at the city which glowed in the soft purple twilight. He turned his gaze to the sky and watched the bat’tis swoop low over the trees. Clouds shifted endlessly in the sky above the dome and a few stars twinkled shyly in the black sky. 

 

A large droplet smacked Thrawn in the eye and he shook his head. Back, once more, in the forest of Ferisia. He looked down at the hole at his feet and, taking a bracing breath, he lowered himself into it.

* * *

 

Eli awakened from a dreamless sleep to the sound of a comm alert in his quarters. With a groan, he smacked the receiver. 

“Commander Vanto,” Captain Faro said, “The Inquisitors have returned with Death Squadron.”

“On my way to the bridge, Captain,” Eli yawned, checking his chrono. It had only been 6 hours. “Vanto out.”

Eli dragged himself out of bed, yanking on his pants and jacket. As he grew more conscious, anxiety flooded his mind. As he hurried to the bridge, he hoped Death Squadron would clear out before the Rebels came to attack.

“Captain?” He asked, stepping beside Faro. 

He noticed in alarm that the female Inquisitor also stood on the bridge, and when she looked to Eli her eyes held an air of triumph that worried Eli more than anything those Inquisitors had done so far.

Faro held up her hand for silence and Eli pressed his lips together, glaring at the Inquisitor.

“Captain,” Ensign Martinique called from the comm station. “Incoming transmission from the  _ Executor _ .”

“Patch them through,” Faro said in a weary tone.

The ominous voice that came through the comms could only belong to one man. “Attention  _ Chimaera _ , this is Lord Vader. By order of the Emperor, I have assumed command of the Seventh Fleet. Prepare to be boarded.”

Why did Eli feel like they were being invaded? Technically, this man was supposed to be on  _ their  _ side. He could tell by her expression that Faro felt the same way.

“Thank you, Lord Vader,” she said diplomatically.

As soon as the transmission ended, Faro turned at once for the shuttle bay, stony-faced. “Vanto, you have the bridge.”

“Aye, Captain,” Eli said, feeling very little of the fortitude he attempted to convey in those words. 

As the captain marched down the hall, the Inquisitor followed her like an evil shadow.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Working Relationship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18087746) by [Calipsan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calipsan/pseuds/Calipsan)




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